


Pieces

by Lastsyns



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Anal Sex, Discussion of Abortion, Drug Use, Drugs, Dubious Consent, F/M, Hiding, M/M, Mpreg, Running Away, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2020-09-30 09:22:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 72,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20444813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lastsyns/pseuds/Lastsyns
Summary: Jack never thought he would be raising a child again but as he cares for the Doctor's child he wonders if he will ever see the Time Lord again.





	1. Chapter 1

"I'm done brushing my teeth," Emily called out as she came running into the living room. Jack narrowed his eyes in suspicion at her. 

"You brushed them all?" He questioned and she nodded happily. "Let me see." Emily went running over to him opening her mouth wide so that he could see her teeth. He looked in her mouth seeing that her teeth indeed looked brushed but he still had his suspicions. "All right, go put your toothbrush away."

She ran off with thumping back up the stairs to return her toothbrush to its place. Jack finished off the rest of his whiskey from his glass and stood to go up to tuck her into bed and tell her a story. He was tired and sore from the long day at Torchwood but Emily had no one else so he would make sure that she was tended to before crawling into his own bed for the night. He put the empty glass in the kitchen then climbed the stairs to where the bedrooms were. Emily was already sitting on her bed waiting for him.  
Jack sat down next to her on the bed, picking up the book on the bedside table. As he did, he noticed her blue eyes look hopefully towards the door. Jack waited quietly as they both listened for the familiar noise of the TARDIS returning. The world remained quiet, though, beyond the familiar noises of the night. Emily's face fell as she laid her head down on the pillow. He pulled the white blanket decorated with colorful butterflies over her and she cuddled her teddy bear as she looked up at him. 

"Daddy's not coming home again," Emily sighed. 

"I'm sure he is just busy and lost track of time," Jack informed her even if he knew it wasn't true. The Doctor had a time machine and he could have traveled for a hundred years and still have been home in time for dinner if he chose to be. Instead, he stayed away and Jack had to care for the little girl who didn't understand why her daddy didn't want her. 

"When is he coming back?" Emily wondered. 

"I don't know," Jack answered honestly, not wanting to lie to her. 

"I promise I'll be good." Jack felt his heart breaking at her words and he placed a hand on her head running his fingers through her almost white hair. Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. 

"Listen to me, baby, you have done nothing wrong," Jack told her. He could see the doubt in her eyes and he hated the Time Lord for making her feel that way. He set the book aside as he scooped her up in his arms. He held her tightly as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I know it is hard to understand but none of this is your fault." She sobbed into his shoulder and Jack rocked her gently. He made gentle shushing noises until she calmed holding onto him. He kissed her on the top of the head. Adjusting her, he reached for her book again opening it. He read softly as she listened not responding as she stared at the book. Normally, they only read one chapter but as they came to the end, it was obvious she wasn't ready to sleep yet. He read a second chapter then set the book aside. 

"Can I sleep in your room tonight?" Emily questioned softly. 

"Of course you can," Jack told her. He stood up with her in his arms carrying her with him to his room. He set her down on the bed and she scrambled beneath his blue comforter. He left her for just a second to change into his pajamas then returned to the room. He turned off the light then laid down cuddling her close to him. 

"I love you, Uncle Jack," Emily whispered. 

"I love you too, sweetheart."


	2. Chapter 2

-Four years earlier-

"There was another sighting of him overnight in the Soho area last night," Martha informed Jack as she entered his office. Jack looked up from the paperwork that was spread out in front of him. His blue eyes gave nothing away, nor did the expression as he stared up at her.

"I am sure if he was there, he will be gone by now. Just like every other time we chased down rumors of him. We have better things to do then follow rumors that he has appeared again," Jack answered her calmly.

"But this is the third time he has appeared there in the last week. He normally doesn't appear in the same place so often and it would be worth looking into," Martha stated.

"And UNIT can take care of it if there is a problem," Jack responded his voice rising slightly in volume. "The Doctor is not our problem. The weevils that are attacking innocent people in Roath park are though. So I need you to take Mickey and Gwen with you and see if you can figure out what is happening there."

"Yes, sir." Martha didn't argue further. It had been almost six months since the earth had been returned to its rightful place. Since that moment, none of them had heard from the Doctor despite rumors he was on Earth often. They knew Donna had returned to her family without any memories and Wilf had told them why. While they were unsure where Rose was, they knew that he was traveling on his own again and he never did well on his own. Yet, he didn't come to them for companionship or for help, leaving them to live their own lives in Cardiff.

"We are going to have to investigate on our own," Martha informed Mickey. He nodded his understanding. Tonight after work the two of them would head to London. For now, though, they had a job to do.

It was almost seven in the evening before they finally finished their day at Torchwood. The weevils in the park took longer to catch then they expected as many had already retreated to their dens before the small team arrived. They didn't dare enter the den as to do so was a suicide mission and one that only Jack ever willingly went into. So instead, they had to focus on catching the few that still remained out in the open. They ended up having to kill one of the weevils but they were able to take a second one alive. They loaded both of them into the boot of the SUV's taking them back to Torchwood. Once there they transferred the live one to the cells while the dead one was taken to the autopsy room. She then started the autopsy while Mickey and Gwen submitted the necessary paperwork for the day. 

"Are we sure it is even the Doctor?" Mickey questioned as they both climbed into the SUV. 

"No. It could be the meta crisis that was created but that still doesn't explain why he is hanging around Soho. We should at least go up there long enough to offer our help and if it is the meta crisis, make sure he is adjusting all right before returning to Cardiff," Martha stated. 

"We have to be up early tomorrow," Mickey told her trying one last time to change her mind but just as he suspected Martha wasn't going to be swayed. He could hear the determination in her voice and knew that there would be no changing her mind. So rather than spending a quiet evening at home and maybe trying to create a little one of their own, they were going to drive to London to find out why the Doctor was spending time there. 

"I will sleep on the way up and you can sleep on the way back. If we get back in time, then we can both have a nap before we have to go into work or if we do find the Doctor we might be able to sleep on the TARDIS before having to drive back to Cardiff," Martha answered. Mickey sighed as he finally put the key in the ignition and started the engine. Martha reached back for the seatbelt pulling it over her lap and buckling herself in. Mickey started out, turning right towards the M4 rather than towards their flat. Martha settled back, closing her eyes as he drove. 

"And what do we tell Jack when he asks why we are so tired tomorrow?" Mickey questioned her before she was able to drift off

"I am sure we can think of something," Martha answered with a smile. Mickey smiled back even though she couldn't see him through her closed eyes. Turning on the radio softly, he started on the long drive to London. 

The drive was relatively uneventful and Mickey found a parking spot before waking Martha. She seemed confused for a second but then slipped out of the SUV. Mickey got out as well going around to join her. They walked side by side along the streets looking for any sign of the blue box or the man that they both called a friend. He didn't appear that night, though, so after several hours of searching, they returned to the SUV going back to Cardiff. Determined not to give up, they made the journey for the next two nights looking for any sign of the Doctor. It seemed that his time in London was done as they failed to find him. Giving up, they once more returned to the SUV determined to go home. To their surprise, a man in a long grey jacket was leaning against the SUV waiting for them. 

"I thought I told you to leave it," Jack snapped at them.

"I believe your exact words were the Doctor is not our problem and we are investigating on our own time without using Torchwood's resources in order to help us," Martha snipped back. 

"Yet, you still used your Torchwood issued SUV to drive up here. All I had to do was look at the GPS to know that you disobeyed a direct order by coming up here yesterday as well," Jack seethed. 

"I don't understand why you are so angry. What we do in our free time is our own business," Mickey informed him. 

"Because I don't need two of my best people running off to London every night. If something were to happen in Cardiff right now, Gwen and Ianto would have to handle it on their own while you chase someone who doesn't want to be found. Now, I want you to promise me that you are going to drop this investigation and return to Cardiff or I am suspending both of you," Jack informed them angrily. 

"Yes, sir," Martha answered softly. She wasn't sure why Jack was so angry but she didn't want to lose her job at Torchwood. She loved the work they did there and enjoyed being able to work with Mickey. She wasn't going to give it up by continuing to chase a ghost. 

"We'll go back," Mickey promised. 

"Then I will see you in the morning," Jack told them. He watched as they both climbed into their SUV starting on their way back to Cardiff. Once they were out of sight, he made his way down the street turning a corner. He went in between two buildings and to another one that sat in a small alley. Staying in the shadows he leaned against the building waiting. He wasn't really angry at them but relieved that they had failed to find the Time Lord or he feared they would have both ended up dead before realizing the danger they had walked into. 

He watched on as one of the doors opened and two men came out. One he didn't recognize, didn't care who he was as he straightened his coat hurrying on his way. The other he stared at intently. The Doctor's hair was brushed flat against his head and his eyes looked hollow. His face was skinnier than the last time Jack had seen him and he could almost count the Doctor's ribs on his bare chest. He was wearing a pair of tight leather trousers that left nothing to the imagination going down to his bare feet. He stood in the doorway a second, his eyes turning to look at the dark corner. Jack knew that the Doctor could sense him but the Doctor didn't call out as he scratched the crook of his arm. Even from this distance, Jack could see the red marks that lined the pale skin. 

"Well done, Theta." A voice spoke breaking the silence. The Doctor's eyes turned quickly to the blonde-haired man that was approaching. The man was supposed to be dead, but here he was once again manipulating the poor Time Lord who had once called him a friend.

"You promised," the Doctor whined. 

"You're right I did. Let's go inside and I'll give you your medicine," the Master told him. The two of them stepped through the door and it closed behind them. Jack just stared wishing he knew how to help when the Doctor had first appeared, Jack too had been eager to see him. He made the long journey up to London to offer his help to the Time Lord. The Doctor though had made it clear that the didn't want Jack's help. He had forced Jack to leave him there even if everything in him wanted to drag the Doctor back to Cardiff. He had stayed in the shadows watching that night as well and that is when he learned the gravity of the situation. The Master was alive and manipulating the Doctor with drugs into doing his bidding. Jack tried to drag the Doctor with him but the Time Lord had refused to leave telling Jack he was fine and in control of the situation. It was a lie of course but he had distracted Jack long enough for the Master to sneak up behind him and kill the Captain. When Jack came to, they were both gone and just like now, he felt defeated. Wondering if he should tell the others the truth, he turned to start on his own way back to Cardiff.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack woke to his alarm the next morning. Emily rubbed her face against his chest not quite ready to wake up. Neither was Jack honestly. It had been a long few days at Torchwood and he really was just ready for it to be the weekend. Too bad it was only Wednesday. He looked down at the little girl sleeping once again peacefully in his arms. Once she was up, he would be getting ready for work then taking her to daycare across town where she would spend the day running and playing with children her own age. Then tonight she would once more be listening hopefully for the man who would continuously let her down. Making a decision, he carefully got out of bed making sure not to wake her. He tucked the blankets back around the sleeping girl, kissing her softly on the head. 

Not bothering to dress, he made his way downstairs. He started his own coffee maker, letting the coffee brew as he pulled out his cell phone. He called Gwen first passing off leadership to her for the day but would be available if needed. He then called Emily's daycare telling them he was keeping her home for the day. With the calls done, he poured himself a cup of coffee before settling down on the couch to watch the morning news. 

"You didn't wake me," Emily whined as she reached the bottom of the stairs about an hour later. Jack set his cup of coffee aside as she came over to him climbing up in his lap.

"I'm sorry, baby but how would you like to have a lazy day?" Jack wondered cuddling her close to him. 

"A lazy day?" Emily wondered. 

"Yes a lazy day. We can sit on the couch and watch films and eat pastries," Jack tried to tempt her. 

"It's not Saturday," Emily informed him softly. Her blue eyes were staring at him intently and he felt as if she were looking through him. 

"You're right, it's not. It's only Wednesday but that is what a lazy day is for," Jack told her. She still looked doubtful and Jack kissed her on the top of the head. "Wake up a little bit then the two of us will get pastries and hot chocolate for breakfast. Then for supper tonight we can have pizza."

"I'm awake," she whined. 

"Of course you are," Jack chuckled. He stood up carrying her in his arms back up the stairs. Taking her into her room he helped her to dress in a simple bluish shirt and jeans. She put on bright red sandals and a beaded necklace she made in daycare. Jack didn't fight her as she then declared she needed to wear a lilac sweater cause it was chilly out, allowing her to express her creativity. He brushed out her long hair but didn't try to tame it instead just letting it fall down her back. She twirled happily and Jack watched a smile on his own face. While Emily was skinny and almost pale, she passed enough for a human that most people didn't look twice at her except to comment on her white hair or vibrant blue eyes. Jack sometimes wondered if they were part of the reason that the Doctor rejected her. If only she looked more like him and not the one who sired her, maybe he would have accepted her. 

"Ready?" He questioned pushing the thought aside. 

"Yep," Emily answered happily.

"Then go watch the telly for a minute while I dress and then we can go." Jack watched her run off as he headed to his own room. He took a quick shower before dressing in a pair of black jeans and a plain grey shirt. It was different then what he normally wore but he didn't want to give her any reason to think they were going to Torchwood.

With both of them ready, Jack went to get the little girl from the couch. She insisted on finishing her show first, so he sat down next to her until the cartoon was over. Turning off the telly, he allowed her to run ahead of him heading out to the SUV. He helped her climb in the back, buckling her into her booster seat. He drove to a pastry shop that they only went to for special occasions. He could see the suspicion in her eyes as he helped her out of her seat taking her inside. Normally he tried to limit her sugar intake because if he let her she would only eat pastries, sugar, and other things that weren't good for her. Today, though, he allowed her to pick out a large pastry covered in chocolate as well as several others. He picked out a few for himself before ordering a large coffee as well as a small hot chocolate. She walked beside him, holding onto his shirt as he took her back out to the SUV. He expected her to be happy about her treat that he placed carefully on the front seat. Much to his surprise, she burst into tears before he could. 

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Jack cooed softly. 

"I don't want you to go," Emily cried. 

"I'm not going anywhere. I am just going to drive us home so that we can eat our pastries and you can drink your hot chocolate," Jack explained feeling slightly confused. 

"You're not going to leave me?" She questioned sadly. Jack felt a burst of anger go through him. He quickly pushed it down as he leaned forward so that he could hold her. 

"I will never leave you," he swore. 

"Promise?" Emily wondered. 

"I promise." Pulling out a handkerchief he helped her to dry her eyes as well as blow her nose. With his promise, she allowed him to buckle her in. She watched him closely as he went around getting into the driver's seat. Before starting the vehicle, he reached back taking her hand in his and once again assuring her that he wasn't leaving her. Wondering what the rest of the day would bring, he started once more towards their home. 


	4. Chapter 4

-Four years earlier-

"Martha, Mickey, my office," Jack ordered once the morning meeting was over. The other's exchanged glances as the two stood following Jack out of the meeting room and up to his office. He closed the door behind them as they took a seat. Going around his desk he sat down. He opened one of the drawers pulling out a single manila folder. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened last night and clear a few things up about why I was so angry you had gone against my orders." He opened the folder pulling out the first picture passing it to Martha. She took one look at the man, a gasp escaping.

"But he's dead," Martha declared.

"That's what I thought," Jack agreed.

"Who is he?" Mickey wondered not recognizing the blonde man in the form-fitting black suit.

"He is a very dangerous Time Lord called the Master. Before you returned to our universe, he took over the Earth killing billions of people and was planning on destroying the rest of the universe as well. The Doctor reset time to stop him and after the Master was shot the Doctor said that he died. I'm not sure if the Doctor lied to us or if the Master has found some way to come back. What I do know, is that he is currently with the Doctor." Jack passed them another picture and Martha took it as well. She looked at the lythe Time Lord they had once traveled with. She agreed with Jack that he was far too skinny and she could see the marks clearly on his arms from being jabbed with a needle. His eyes told the same story as Jack as she could see the once vibrant eyes were almost hollow and lifeless.

"We have to help him," Martha declared as Jack finished explaining what he knew.

"You're right we do. I just don't know how. The Master is clearly drugging him to manipulate him. I don't know with what or what the Doctor is actually doing with the men who enter his room. I don't think he is hurting them but I am reluctant to send anyone in," Jack explained.

"I'll go," Mickey offered.

"It's too dangerous. While you have never met the Master, he may know who you are due to using his telepathy to invade the Doctor's thoughts. It is the same reason I haven't sent Ianto. I can't risk either of you on the slight chance that you can get past the Master. And even if you do, we have no way to safely extract the Doctor from London. His TARDIS is usually locked up in the room with him and the Master is always nearby," Jack explained.

"I know how to safely sedate him, which would allow us to move him if we can get close enough," Martha spoke up.

"And how do you suggest we do that or get past the Master?" Jack wondered. He had no problems killing the man who should have already been dead. The problem came knowing that the Doctor would never forgive him for making him the last Time Lord again.

"There has to be a way," Martha answered.

"I agree. You're welcome to try to find one, but only from the safety of Cardiff and not during working hours. In the meantime, I don't want any of you setting foot in London until we figure this out. Is that understood?" Jack asked.

"Perfectly," Mickey answered and Martha nodded. Martha left the pictures on the desk as the two of them left the office. Alone, Jack returned the pictures to the file. He placed the folder back in his desk then poured himself a shot of whiskey. He drank it quickly as he wondered if he made the right choice telling Martha and Mickey. Needing a distraction, he left his office to find his favorite coffee boy.


	5. Chapter 5

-Four years prior-

Despite Jack telling them to only work on the issue with the Doctor on their own time, Martha and Mickey immediately began talking as soon as they stepped out of the office. Mickey followed Martha down to the autopsy room and into her office closing the door tightly behind them. Normally they would use the privacy to have a quickie at work. Something that neither one of them imagined doing in a normal job but Jack encouraged with his own escapades with Ianto. He just asked that they still got their work done in between bouts, even if Ianto was always behind due to Jack's distractions. Now, though, they wanted to talk in private as they tried to figure out how to help the Time Lord they had once called a friend. 

Mickey had heard about the Master before from Martha. Before they had been intimate for the first time, she had opened up to him about the scars that now lined her body. She had told him about the Master's rule and how she had walked the desolate Earth in a desperate attempt to spread the Doctor's story in order to save them all. The cut across her stomach had been particularly worrisome but thankfully didn't cause too much internal damage and she would still be able to have children one day. 

"If I were still in Pete's world, I would have contacts that could go in and extract the Doctor. Unfortunately, I haven't been back in this universe long enough to reestablish contacts who I trust and my old ones wouldn't have the training to safely take the Doctor," Mickey informed Martha as he took a seat on her desk. 

"I agree that we are going to need outside help. Personally, I think we should talk to Jack about bringing in UNIT to help us. They should be able to provide a doctor or nurse who can give him an injection of sedatives but also has the necessary military training to get the Doctor safely out of London," Martha responded. "It is up to Jack to figure out their level of involvement, though."

"What do you mean?" Mickey asked. 

"Well, we could just lie to the Brigadier and tell him that we need help extracting a human from a weevil den. That would get us the necessary help and we could always retcon the man after so that he isn't aware of his true mission or the Doctor being here on Earth. The other option would be to tell the Brigadier about the Doctor being held in London by the Master or as the earth knows him the former Prime Minister Harold Saxon. We could ask him to apprehend the other Time Lord while we bring the Doctor here to Torchwood for treatment," Martha explained. 

"It is a good plan and I am surprised that Jack hasn't thought of it already," Mickey told her. 

"I am sure he has. The worry about involving UNIT is that they will take the Doctor to their military base to be treated. While it may be better for him due to their medical expertise, I don't feel that Jack would agree. I feel that he would want to treat the Doctor here in private where we could figure out what happened to him without the eyes of the entire military base staring down at him," Martha answered. She knew from experience that they idolized the Doctor at UNIT. Every one of the cadets learned of his escapades and were taught about how he helped save the Earth time and time again. He was a hero to those men and women. Anyone who was recruited to help extract him would have to be carefully briefed beforehand and secrecy would be of the utmost importance. Hopefully, she would also be able to convince the Brigadier of that as well. 

"This would be so much easier if we could just put a bullet in the Master's head," Mickey sighed. 

"I agree, but do you want to be the one to tell the Doctor that you just made him the Last Time Lord, again?" Martha wondered. Mickey shook his head no without looking at her. He had seen how devastated the Doctor had been over the loss of his people. Rose had changed the man for the better but there had always been something distant about him to even the woman he cared for. Mickey had even seen him choose to take a bottle of brandy and disappear for the night rather than allow himself to follow Rose to her bedroom. He wasn't going to be the one to make the Time Lord hurt again if he could help it. 

"Then since we are in agreement, we will talk to Jack after work tonight about bringing in UNIT to help. In the meantime, I need to finish up the tests from the autopsy on the weevil and run the blood samples taken from the one we captured alive," Martha informed Mickey. Mickey stood moving to stop her as she went around her desk. 

"We haven't had a break yet today," Mickey told her as he leaned in for a kiss. She gave him a quick kiss back. 

"Later, right now I really want to get started on my work," Martha told him. Mickey kissed her again as he accepted her choice. Leaving the office, he went up the stairs to where his own desk was situated by the rift computer. It was easy for him to hack into London's traffic cameras and pull up the recent pictures from the soho district. He wasn't quite sure where the Doctor was located still, but now that he knew what his companion looked like it gave him more to go on. 

"You're never going to find him that way." He jumped as Jack's voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see Jack fully dressed standing behind him. "The Master is smart enough to stay off the main roads and only uses the back alleys in order to travel. I know because I have spent hours trying to catch him on camera and have only been able to retrieve less than a full minute of footage. Also, I told you to work on this outside of work so if you could please put it aside for now. I have another task for you to work on." 

"Yes, sir," Mickey answered letting the sarcasm come through in his tone as he closed the footage. Jack ignored his tone as he handed him a stack of papers to go through. They were all recent missing person's reports and he needed to find out if any of them were related to the recent weevil activity. Pushing the thoughts of the Doctor aside, he set to work. 

At closing time, however, Mickey and Martha both stayed behind in order to talk to Jack. Jack once again sat behind his desk listening as they explained their plan to involve UNIT. Jack's face gave away nothing as Martha detailed her idea of retconning the doctor they brought in or using the Brigadier to help capture the Doctor. He told them that he would need to think and get back with them in the morning as he dismissed them for the night. After they left, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey as he leaned back in his chair. He had had the same idea to bring UNIT into the fold but Martha was right and he was worried about them taking the Doctor back to the base. Still, he was coming up with no other ideas and the sooner the Doctor was away from the monster he called a friend the better. Picking up the phone he dialed the familiar number to the Brigadier.


	6. Chapter 6

The call to the Brigadier was harder than Jack thought it would be. The older man was worried about his friend but just like Jack understood that getting the Doctor away from the Master's clutches would not be easy. They would have to plan and prepare and even still they could fail. Jack allowed the Brigadier to send in a small team in order to set up surveillance on the two Time Lords. They had to be careful as the Master was smart and he would notice anything consistent or anyone. They had to make sure not to alert him to the fact he was being watched or they feared that he would take the Doctor and flee. If that happened they didn't know if they would get another chance to save the man. There was a small argument between Jack and the Brigadier about where the Doctor would go to recover. In the end, the Brigadier agreed to allow Jack to take the Doctor as he would be locking the Master up in their cells and the further apart they could keep the two the better. 

Mickey and Martha's nights were now filled with reviewing the pictures that were sent over from UNIT and communicating with the base in order to figure out the best way to extract the Doctor. Over the next week, they were able to establish the Master's routine just by watching him. He always left the hotel room at the same time in the evening with the Doctor by his side. Together they would go for a meal at one of the many restaurants nearby before returning to the hotel again. From there the Doctor would be alone for about a half an hour before the Master returned with a random gentleman in tow. It took a little more work to figure out that he was picking the men up from a nearby underground bar that catered to humans and aliens alike. The men would stay with the Doctor for two hours while the Master was out. His routine varied from day to day during those hours as he sometimes went back to the bar and other times ran various errands. He always returned right as the two hours were up and disappeared into the room once more with the Doctor until the early morning. Early mornings varied too much so, it was that two-hour window that was their opportunity to save their friend.

"He's having sex with them," Mickey stated as they discussed saving the Doctor. 

"I don't think so," Jack laughed him off. 

"Just because you could never get in his trousers doesn't mean he isn't sleeping with them," Mickey argued back. Jack looked in the rearview mirror glaring at the young man. 

"Enough," Martha interrupted before Jack could make some snide comment. They had been having the same argument for several days now and she was sick of hearing it. Mickey went quiet but she could still hear Jack mumbling under his breath about the Doctor possibly being asexual and Mickey wouldn't know if someone was having sex, even if he was involved. Martha ignored him as she opened up her laptop once more pulling up the data she had on the Doctor. Tonight was the night they would be trying to extract him and they were relying on her to make sure they had him properly sedated for the three-hour ride back to Cardiff. While she knew the sedative would work, she was terrified of overdosing him and had checked her calculations numerous times to be sure she got the dosage right before relaying the information to UNIT. 

"There's the Brigadier," Jack stated as he pulled the SUV off to the side of the road and parking. They got out, going to meet the man.

"The Master just entered the bar so we have a half-hour before his return. I have stationed my man inside hoping he is chosen to come back to the hotel but if not we are going to go in and extract him using force. I have a team set up and ready to move in as soon as the Master leaves the Doctor for the night and I am hoping to apprehend him without having to kill him," the Brigadier stated. 

"Accidents do happen," Jack answered dryly. 

"Yes, they do," the Brigadier agreed. "Regardless once the Doctor is secured, I will follow our agreement to allow you to take the Doctor back to Cardiff as long as you provide me with regular updates about his condition but I hope you weren't planning on moving his TARDIS in the SUV with him as I am positive not all of you will fit."

"Rhys will be here shortly with a truck so that we can take the TARDIS back to the hub. I will need your men's help though to load it onto the truck as she is heavier then she looks," Jack answered. 

"Of course. Let's just hope things go smoothly so my men are able to assist," the Brigadier replied. Jack nodded his agreement as the four of them hung back waiting for their parts in helping the Doctor. To no one's surprise, the man the Brigadier placed at the bar wasn't chosen but instead, a tall skinny man joined the Doctor in the hotel room. The Brigadier gave the orders for his men to capture the Master quietly while the small Torchwood team advanced on the hotel. Even if Jack wanted to rush in, they still waited until they received word that the Master had been apprehended and was being placed in the back of a high-secured vehicle in order to be transported back to UNIT. With that knowledge, another team joined the Torchwood team. 

"On my go," the leader of the UNIT team commanded. He used his fingers to count from three to one before knocking the door in. Jack would never admit Mickey was right and Mickey wouldn't ask him to as they entered startling the two men in the room. The Time Lord that Jack loved and respected was pushed away onto his bottom as the other man pulled himself out of his mouth quickly and tucked himself back inside his trousers. 

"This isn't what it looks like," the man stated zipping himself up. 

"We aren't here for you, so if you leave now there won't be any charges," Jack stated snapping out of his shock. The man quickly left as the team surrounded the Doctor. He didn't look afraid as he took in the small group. His brown eyes were glazed over and the bulge in his trousers was still prominent. He smiled dopely at them as he moved up onto his knees again.

"Doctor?" Martha wondered. He let his head roll to the side to look at her. 

"Hello," he slurred his smile growing larger. He reached for his trousers fumbling with the button as he spoke again. "You're going to have to wait for your turns." Martha looked at Jack. The horror in his eyes was clear as he turned his own eyes to meet her. 

"You know why you are here, just do it so we can't get him back to Cardiff," he ordered. He didn't wait for her to follow his orders as he turned leaving the room. Martha took a step forward pulling the syringe out of her pocket. Taking the Doctor's arm she stopped him from removing his clothing. He watched her, not focusing as she looked at his arm seeing all the red dots lining his once pale skin. He didn't seem to care about the needle even as she carefully inserted it into his arm empting the contents. 

"Just sleep now, Doctor," Martha told him softly. She released his arm to cap the syringe and he whimpered at the loss of contact. There was a confusion in his eyes now as he once more reached for his trousers. He didn't like the fact that he was once again stopped. His agitation showed as he reached for one of the UNIT team just to have them step out of his grasp. As the sedative took effect, his movements became sluggish but that didn't stop him from trying until he fell forward with his face on the floor and his bottom in the air. Martha left him for just a moment to get Jack. Jack thankfully, hadn't gone far and was just sitting outside the hotel with his back to the wall. "He's asleep."

"Let's get him back to Cardiff," Jack told her, his tone professional and giving nothing away. Inside he was full of turmoil and wished that he had killed the Master when he had the chance. Despite his cold appearance, he was still gentle as he took the Doctor carefully in his arms. He carried the too light man back to the SUV carefully tucking him into the backseat with Martha to watch over him. Mickey sat in the passenger seat as Jack drove. 

"It has to be the drugs," Martha tried to tell Jack but he turned on the radio drowning her out. Taking the hint, Martha leaned back keeping one eye on the sleeping man, she stared out the window as they began the long ride back to Cardiff.


	7. Chapter 7

Upon arriving back at Torchwood, Jack carefully carried the Doctor down to the autopsy room. Despite his anger, he was gentle as he lowered the still sleeping Time Lord carefully onto the bed. The Doctor looked peaceful while he was sleeping but they had no idea what would happen when he began to wake from the sedatives that he had received. Jack hated to leave him but he had to help the others get the TARDIS down so that Rhys could return the truck. So, he ran off briefly to join Ianto, Mickey, Rhys in taking the TARDIS into the hub. They moved it into the corner of the hub where it would be out of the way but still easily accessible if they needed her. 

"Are you coming home for a few hours?" Rhys asked Gwen from where she sat by the rift manipulator. Gwen glanced at Jack who shook his head no. 

"Not yet but I will be home tonight. I promise," Gwen told him. She stood going over to her husband kissing him softly on the lips. 

"I'll hold you to that," Rhy answered with a quick side glance at Jack. Jack didn't respond as he didn't know what the day would bring. Not only did they have the rift to deal with, they still had weevils to keep track of and now they had to sort out the Time Lord as well as submit paperwork to UNIT about his rescue and care. They also had to submit a report about any abuse they found on his body as well as his state of mind upon waking. All that information would be used to help build a case against the Master in order to keep him imprisoned as long as possible. 

He gave permission for Gwen to take a break as she showed her husband out of the hub before returning to the Doctor's side. While he had been gone, Martha had taken a vial of blood as well as ran through his vitals to make sure that he was still stable. He was holding his own, though, so she did little while she waited for Jack's return. Once he was back, they worked together to strip the Doctor of his clothing leaving him in his pants. They looked for any indication of abuse from the Master but found little they could prove beyond the needle marks that lined the crook of his arms. Martha took pictures of the puncture marks in order to add them to his file. 

"Do we want to restrain him now, or wait until he wakes up?" Jack wondered. 

"My heart says to wait but we need to think about this logically. The Master has been drugging him and we don't know what his mental state will be upon waking. We also both know that he is strong and he could easily overpower both of us if he wanted to," Martha responded. 

"I don't like it, but your right. Let's restrain him. I will also have Ianto set up one of the cells in case we need to move him there while he withdrawals," Jack agreed. He left her side briefly to retrieve the restraints. They attached them to the bed then gave the Doctor a sponge bath in order to make him comfortable and dressed him in a pair of pajamas before beginning to restrain him to the bed. They attached the restraints to the Doctor's ankles at the bottom and his wrists at the middle keeping them at his sides. She then placed the third restraint across his abdomen that would stop him from sitting up.

"Do you want me to take the vial of blood to the TARDIS while we wait?" Jack asked once they had the Doctor properly restrained. Martha shook her head no. 

"I'll do it. I know her medical equipment and can get answers faster if I go myself. Can you keep an eye on him while I am gone?" Martha wondered. 

"Of course. While you're up there will you please ask Ianto to set up the last cell in case we need to move the Doctor down there," Jack requested. 

"Anything else?" Martha asked. 

"Not at the moment." Jack watched her disappear up the steps and around the corner. Once she was out of hearing range he turned his attention back to the Doctor. "I don't understand it, Doc. We spent a year in hell with him and yet you still allowed yourself to be tricked by him." He sighed as the Time Lord slept on unaware of the turmoil that his friends were feeling. He waited quietly just watching the Doctor breathe until Martha returned to his side. She flopped down in the chair beside Jack, looking defeated as she looked at the Doctor. "It's that bad?"

"He has a few drugs in his system besides the sedative I gave him including an aphrodisiac, an antibiotic, a painkiller, and something that the TARDIS called felvɪjomi. She said that it is a powerful drug that causes euphoric effects. She also said that withdrawing from it is difficult because most people don't want to lose the feeling. There is a medication that I can give him to make it easier but I have to wait until some of the other drugs clear his system before I can give it to him," Martha explained. 

"Why was he given an antibiotic and a painkiller?" Jack wondered and Martha shrugged. 

"That's another question we can ask and if he doesn't have an answer we can question the Master about," Martha answered calmly. 

"I'd rather just put a bullet through his hearts," Jack seethed. Martha didn't answer as there was no point. She understood Jack's anger but killing the Master wouldn't change what happened to them during that horrible year or what was happening to the Doctor now. They were just going to have to rely on UNIT to keep the Master contained while they helped the Doctor back to his feet. 

They both sat quietly lost in their thoughts as another hour passed. It was at the end of that hour that the Doctor started to wake. It was easy to miss at first as he tried to lift one of his arms then finding he couldn't tried the other. He didn't seem concerned as he tried to lift his feet also finding them restrained to the bed. His brow furrowed briefly in confusion as his eyes opened slowly. His eyes mirrored the confusion upon realizing he wasn't laying in the hotel room like he thought instead in a room that he had never seen before. 

"Doctor, it's alright now. You're safe," Martha informed him softly. The Doctor opened his eyes upon hearing her voice. He lifted his head looking around the autopsy room, on purposely avoiding looking directly at Martha as he took in where he was. He glanced briefly at Jack before another soft moan escaped and he let his head fall back to the pillows. 

"Oh, you stupid apes," he mumbled softly. 

"Excuse me. We just saved your ass from the Master, again. The least you could do is show us a little gratitude," Jack snapped at him. 

"I didn't need saving," the Doctor informed them. 

"The Master was drugging you and then taking advantage of your weakened state to do with your body as he pleased." The Doctor's eyes closed briefly at her words but other than that he didn't look surprised by the information. 

"I know, I gave him permission to."


	8. Chapter 8

Jack stared at the Doctor in disbelief as the Time Lord's words replayed over and over in his mind. He wasn't sure that he had heard him right because there was no way that the Time Lord that he respected so much would give anyone permission to abuse his body that way. Yes, he had witnessed the Doctor being tortured and used by the Master during their long year aboard the Valient, but he had only done that in order to save the Earth. At least that was what Jack thought at the time, now he found himself thinking back to that time trying to figure out if he ever witnessed the Doctor letting the Master use his body. He pushed the thought aside for a moment deciding that he could dwell on it later over a bottle of whiskey as he turned his attention once more to the restrained Time Lord. 

"What do you mean you gave him permission to?" Jack asked more calmly than he felt. The Doctor rolled his eyes up to meet Jack's and the Captain saw a haziness behind the once alert stare. It was obvious the drugs were currently affecting his ability to reason and it was unfair to question him in this state. It was also the only way that they were going to get answers. 

"I asked him to punish me for my wrongdoings and he agreed," the Doctor answered. 

"So you asked him to drug you into compliance. You asked for him to drug you with an aphrodisiac and allow strange men to use your body for their pleasure?" Jack questioned him. The Doctor's eyes closed briefly again but returned once more to the uninterested stare as he attempted to shrug. 

"That explains my erection," the Doctor informed him. Jack's mouth fell open upon hearing the Doctor's answer. He opened and closed it a couple of times unable to form words.

"Once the aphrodisiac clears your system it should go away, but let me know if it gets uncomfortable in the meantime and we can see about taking care of it for you," Martha spoke up. The Doctor nodded. "You also have an antibiotic and a painkiller currently in your system. Do you know why he gave you those?"

"No," the Doctor replied. His tone hadn't changed during the entire conversation and he yawned loudly, smacking his lips. A thought seemed to occur to him and he scrunched his eyes as his brow furrowed. "Maybe. Something about not wanting me to get an infection or be sore unless he caused it. I don't know." Martha exchanged glances with Jack again. She hadn't examined him genitals or arse as she had wanted his permission before doing such an invasive exam. Now she was kicking herself for not following her instincts. 

"Do I have your permission to examine your genitals now so that I can make sure you aren't injured?" Martha questioned. 

"If you want to," the Doctor answered. He didn't squirm or fight as she stood pulling the blankets down in fact he looked bored as she pulled his pants down. His erection sprang free and stood prominently from his body. A quick visual examination showed that he looked almost human in that aspect except for his testicles were smaller and closer to his body. He had no bruising or anything else worrying. Pulling on a pair of gloves, she put her hand between his legs, carefully spreading his arse. She ignored the fact that his erection twitched as she touched him, knowing that he couldn't control it as she examined him. Again there was no bruising or tearing. Or anything else that she found concerning.

"Visually, I'm not seeing anything that would cause me concern," Martha stated. She pulled off her gloves throwing them aside. Standing, she went over to the small portable ultrasound machine pulling it over. She applied the gel to it, then carefully ran it along the side of his groin being careful to avoid his erection as she checked for anything internal that could be the reason the Master gave him the painkillers and she refused to do a digital internal check with the aphrodisiac in his system. Because he was being cooperative, she unstrapped the restraint covering his abdomen laying it aside. She moved the ultrasound wand up further to check his kidneys and liver looking for anything unusual. 

"What was that?" Jack questioned as he watched. 

"What was what?" Martha asked as she paused turning to look at Jack. 

"Back a little to the left and down," Jack told her. He watched as Martha followed his instructions. She hadn't been that far left as she checked his abdomen heading towards his kidneys and liver. Still, she listened to Jack moving the wand towards what he thought he saw. That's when she saw it too. She adjusted the wand, now trying to get a good image of what they were seeing. Buried deep within the Doctor's abdomen was a small fetus. He wasn't very far along, but the fetus all ready had developed a strong heartbeat. It was too early to be a true heart or to tell if it would have two hearts like it's daddy but it was there. She wondered briefly why the blood test hadn't found the pregnancy but then again she wasn't looking for it at the time. She had only been looking for what drugs were in his system and not the naturally occurring hormones of a pregnancy. 

"Doctor, did you know that you are pregnant?" Martha wondered as she found her voice. The Doctor rolled his eyes to look at the screen. He still had the same bored look in his eyes as he studied the small fetus. 

"Not again," He sighed. 

"What do you mean, not again? You mean this has happened before?" Martha asked. He nodded and rolled his head back to the center of the pillow. 

"The Master gave me a pill that took care of it," The Doctor answered. Martha's lips were thin as she set the wand carefully aside. She wiped the gel off the Doctor's stomach, then replaced the strap over his abdomen. Standing she looked at Jack who hadn't moved during the entire time she had been examining the Doctor. 

"I need to get some air. Do you want me to bring you anything when I come back?" 

"A bottle of whiskey and a glass," Jack advised her. 

"I'll see what I can do." She left the medi-bay in a hurry with neither Jack or the Doctor watching her. The Doctor obviously didn't care as he couldn't hold a thought with the drugs he was on. Jack, on the other hand, was already planning his trip up to UNIT where he was going to get rid of the Master for good this time.


	9. Chapter 9

With just the two of them in the room and no one touching his skin anymore, the Doctor grew visibly agitated. He rubbed his head on the pillow as he tried to move his body. He couldn't move enough with the restraints to satisfy what the aphrodisiac was making him crave. A whimper escaped followed by another. With his hands restrained, he wasn't able to touch himself to bring relief so he turned his attention to the only other person in the room. 

"Please Jack," he panted. Jack just stared at him. The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of the drugged Time Lord. There was a time he wanted more than anything to get into those tight black trousers he used to wear. Even then, he wouldn't stoop so low as to drug the man to accomplish his dreams. So rather than offer him the satisfaction he craved, he instead decided to try to pry for more answers. 

"I will help you, but first you have to tell me why you thought he needed to punish you. Weren't you punished enough aboard the Valiant?" Jack questioned him. 

"It wasn't enough. I didn't learn," the Doctor whined. 

"What do you mean that you didn't learn?" Jack asked. The Doctor groaned but he was obviously growing desperate. He didn't hesitate before beginning to speak again.

"I thought I was the Time Lord Victorious," the Doctor panted. "The laws of the universe were mine. I killed people. Destroyed a woman's legacy. I couldn't stop until the Master agreed to stop me. Please, Jack. Please." Jack was still curious, but he no longer wanted to make the Doctor suffer. He wasn't willing to take advantage of the man, though, so instead, he leaned forward and removed the restraint from the Doctor's wrist. As soon as his hand was free the Doctor reached under the blanket taking his cock into his hand. He didn't care that Jack was in the room or watching him as his hand slid quickly up and down. Within a short time, he let out a deep groan as he found his release all over his stomach, and the inside of the blanket. He let himself go, letting his hand fall once more to the side and not fighting as Jack restrained it once more to the bed. 

"Feeling better?" Jack wondered.

"Yeah," the Doctor sighed. "I sleep now." 

"Go ahead and rest," Jack told him. He stood up, lifting the blanket up from the Doctor's chest being careful not to drag the semen down his body as he removed it. The Doctor didn't care as he let his eyes drift closed. Jack bundled the blanket up, placing it in the laundry basket. He then got a clean flannel and took it over to the sink. He wet it with warm water going back over to the Doctor. He carefully cleaned the drying semen from the Doctor's body as the Time Lord's breathing evened out. He threw the flannel in the basket as well before going to the cupboard. He pulled out a clean blanket and a clean towel. He dried the Doctor off then covered him with the blanket making him comfortable while he slept. 

Jack had just sat down again when he heard Martha returning. Glancing up, he was relieved to see that she had a bottle of whiskey and a tall glass in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She handed him both and he ignored the glass for a moment in order to take a long drink from the bottle. He then poured himself almost a full glass. He offered Martha a drink, not surprised when she declined. Unlike him, she didn't drink when on duty and if she did she was unable to sober up as quickly as he could. He shrugged as he took another drink before finally putting on the lid and setting the bottle aside. He picked up the glass watching as Martha ran through the Doctor's vitals.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" Martha questioned as she listened to the Doctor's hearts. She could see that his erection had faded for now and was curious about how that happened. 

"I found out he thinks he was a killer and asked the Master to help stop him," Jack stated. Martha didn't seem surprised by the information as she continued to examine the Doctor. He was stable and breathing evenly in his sleep. Jack didn't offer if he had helped relieve the Doctor's problem and she didn't ask as she took a seat in the chair across from him. 

"In the morning, I am going to have to write up a report to send up to UNIT about our findings and what the Doctor has told us. I have enough that I could send it now but I need to know what are we going to do about the baby?" Jack asked curiously. 

"Unfortunately, I can't make the fetus my concern right now. If the fetus survives the withdrawal from drugs, it could still cause a lifetime of problems. So right now, my focus will be on helping the Doctor make it through the initial stages of withdrawal and helping him to get back on his feet. After, if he is still pregnant, we will discuss his options," Martha explained. Jack nodded that he heard her even if he didn't like it. He didn't understand it, but from the moment he saw the heartbeat on the monitor, he had felt a strong need to protect the fetus. He wasn't going to let it become just a number in the Doctor's head or a problem that could be resolved by a pill.

"I'm going to get my laptop and start on my report," Jack told her. He stood leaving for just a moment. He returned just as quickly taking a seat again. He leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the bed as he rested his laptop on his legs. The autopsy room was quiet as he began working on his reports and Martha wrote out her own reports on her laptop from her office. She was a quicker typer than him, so he received her report before he could finish his own. He read it over, then attached it to his files sending them off to UNIT. Before he could close his email, he received a reply. They had secured the Master in a high-security wing with several guards who would be watching him at all times. He had yet to talk to them but they would try again in the morning. 

"You didn't mention he is pregnant," Jack commented as he closed out of his email and shut the laptop. 

"I thought it was best to use discretion on the matter at the moment. He is unable to provide his consent to us releasing his medical information and he still has the right to privacy," Martha answered. 

"That's alright, I didn't either," Jack replied. Martha smiled at him and he smiled back. Opening his laptop again, he tried to distract himself until the Doctor once more needed him.


	10. Chapter 10

-The present-

Jack's mind returned to the present as he looked down at the little girl curled in his lap. She was intently watching the telly as she picked at her chocolate pastry. Her face and hands were both a mess and she was going to need a bath. Still, Jack smiled at her as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. He had thought that the first night with the Doctor was hard as he learned about his pregnancy but the next few days would prove him wrong. There were times that he wished that he had just allowed UNIT to take the Doctor with them. To allow him to detox in their care but that was just the selfish thought of a tired man. If he had, he was positive that things would have turned out differently and the little girl in his arms would have ended up somewhere else. That is if she had even been born at all. 

"You need a bath, little one," Jack told her. 

"I'm not done eating," Emily answered. She licked her fingers and succeeded in getting some of the chocolate off of them but added more to her face in the process. 

"Don't be gross," Jack laughed. 

"Sorry," she replied automatically even if she didn't sound it. During their conversation, her eyes had never left the television as she watched Repunzel try to find the lights that she had seen since her childhood. Jack never really cared for the movie, but Emily was engrossed. Still, he watched as she figured out that the mother who raised her wasn't her real mother then returned to her place at the palace. It was a happy ending and that is what it needed. Emily didn't need to know that real life didn't always work that way yet. If it did, her father would have been the one sitting here cuddling her instead of him. 

"Bath time," Jack told her as the credits rolled. He scooped her up as he stood letting her fall upside down. "Oh, no, where did your head go?"

"I'm down here," Emily giggled. Jack lifted her up by her ankles swinging her slightly. She laughed harder as he flipped her back upright. "Again." She leaned back in his arms letting her head fall back. He allowed her to fall back as he headed towards the stairs. He took her up to the bathroom, placing her down on the ground. She stripped out of her clothes as he started a bubble bath for her. He was spoiling her and he knew it but at the moment he didn't care. She happily climbed in, playing in the bubbles. He took a flannel and cleaned her face and hands for her before just letting her play. He had just let the water out of the bath and scooped her up in a towel when his phone began to ring. Emily frowned at him as he reached into his pocket pulling it out. 

"Captain Jack Harkness," he answered without bothering to look at the caller ID. He balanced the phone against his shoulder as he carried Emily into her room to get dressed. 

"Jack, I'm sorry but I need you to come in," Gwen replied. 

"What's happening?" Jack asked setting the little girl down. He went over to her wardrobe to get her a clean outfit as he talked. 

"Torchwood two has been in contact and he refuses to talk with me," Gwen answered. "He will be calling back in about an hour and you need to be here to speak with him." Jack sighed as he looked at the little girl who was now pulling on a blue sundress. 

"It's too cold for that dress," Jack told her. 

"I have a sweater," Emily answered calmly. Jack pulled out a pair of black leggings going over to her. 

"We will be in shortly," Jack informed Gwen. Emily pouted at him as he helped her to dress and pull on her pair of red converse. "I promise it will only be for a little while and then we will go to the park to play."

"Okay," Emily sighed. Jack took out down to the SUV, once more buckling her in. They drove the short distance to the hub where he took her out. She refused to walk wrapping her arms around Jack's neck, holding on tightly and forcing him to carry her into the familiar hub. The door rolled back bathing them in the bright lights of the underground facility. He walked towards his office as Ianto came to greet him. 

"Hello, sir. I've left a cup of coffee in your office for you and there is some paperwork that needs to be signed while you are here so that it can be filled," Ianto explained. 

"Thank you. Would you mind watching her while I take the call?" Jack wondered. 

"Not at all," Ianto held out his hands for her and she willingly went into his arms hugging him closely. 

"Can I have tea?" She asked the young Welshman. 

"Of course you can. Let's go up to the kitchen and I will make you a cup," Ianto answered starting towards the stairs that lead to the kitchen. 

"Mostly milk," Jack called out after them and Ianto indicated that he heard him as he started up the stairs. 

"Is she feeling alright?" Martha questioned from her seat by the rift manipulator. Normally she worked in her office but work was slow so she decided to station herself next to Mickey while they worked today. 

"She was feeling a little insecure so I decided to keep her home," Jack answered her. He then mouthed. *I'll tell you later.* Martha nodded her understanding. With Emily being cared for, Jack headed up the stairs to his office. He opened the door, glaring as he caught a glimpse of the man waiting inside his office for him. "There is no call from Torchwood two is there?"

"No, there is. The others don't know I am here and I would like to keep it that way for now but I need to talk to you once the call is over," the Doctor answered him. Jack didn't answer right away as he let the door to his office his slam. The Doctor didn't flinch as he continued to stare at him. 

"Fine," Jack responded more calmly then he felt. He wanted to yell at the Time Lord but he only had about a minute before his phone would begin to ring. He made a wide arch around the man taking a seat at his desk as he waited for Torchwood two's call.


	11. Chapter 11

Jack quickly came to realize that the call from Torchwood 2 could have waited until he was back in the office tomorrow. All they wanted was to discuss the new budget for the upcoming quarter and find out if there were any problems that Torchwood 3 needed help with. Jack reassured them that he had everything under control and that he wouldn't need their assistance in Cardiff. As he spoke, the Doctor just sat there and listened as he leaned back in the chair. He had a piece of paper in his hands that he fidgeted with and his feet kept bouncing. Jack could tell he was bored but at the moment he didn't care. The Doctor had made them wait for the last two weeks, he could wait until Jack was off the phone to tell him why he was there. So Jack drew out the call as long as possible asking clarifying questions and sharing stories about their recent work. Finally, there was no more he could talk about forcing him to end the call. He turned to look at the Doctor folding his hands and resting his elbows on the desk as he did. 

"I know you are here for my help but honestly, I am tempted to tell you no or to make you wait so long that you begin to wonder if I am ever going to help you," Jack informed the Doctor. The Doctor opened his mouth to reply but Jack continued before he could. "Your daughter asked me last night when you were coming home and I couldn't tell her. Thankfully, she isn't old enough to understand that you have a time machine and could have been there every single night if you really wanted to be. Instead, you choose to hurt that beautiful little girl and make her feel as if I am going to abandon her too because I took the day off to spend with her."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor managed to get out but Jack wasn't done. 

"No, you're really not because we both know you are not going to change and you are just going to do this again. You are going to spend time with her and get her all excited that you are going to be a part of her life before disappearing again but I am not going to let you continue to hurt her. I swear to whatever is out there that if you make her cry again and make her wonder why her daddy doesn't want her, that it will be the last time you see her," Jack snapped angrily. 

"She's my daughter," the Doctor hissed. 

"She may be of your flesh but she isn't your daughter. You aren't the one who has been raising her for the last three years. You didn't help her take her first steps or listened to her first words. You also haven't taken care of her while she is sick, sitting up all night as you held her in her rocking chair just trying to help her sleep. You also aren't the one who held her last night comforting her as she cried. So don't insult me by calling yourself her father when I have been more of a father to her then you will ever be," Jack yelled angrily. He had been yelling the entire time so he wasn't surprised by the fact that there was a knock on the door to his office as one of his employees came to check on him. "Go away."

"Yes, sir," Ianto answered through the door. Jack took a deep calming breath as he turned his chair to reach into the cupboard beside his desk. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey as well as two glasses. He poured a couple of shots into each glass passing one of them to the Doctor. The Doctor took it from him, drinking the entire glass in one go. 

"I want you to be a part of her life Doctor, I do. I just don't want to see her continued to be hurt because you don't know how to be there for her," Jack explained a little more calmly as he refilled the Doctor's glass. The Doctor didn't drain it this time as he finally spoke again. 

"I'll try harder. I promise I will return tonight to spend time with her and then I won't just disappear again," the Doctor spoke. His normally commanding voice was little more than a whisper. 

"She's here now if you want to see her," Jack told him. The Doctor looked at Jack confused. He knew that Jack normally took Emily to daycare during the day while he was at Torchwood in order to try to protect her from the dangers of his job. "She was feeling insecure so I kept her home today and was just planning on having a quiet day with her until I was called in."

"I will see her in a minute but first I need to talk with you," the Doctor informed him. 

"I'm listening. I won't promise that I will help you but I am listening," Jack told him honestly. He drank his own whiskey then filled his glass again and topped off the Doctor's drink. The Doctor took a sip of the whiskey. He set the glass down before speaking again. 

"I finally found him. After years of looking, I was finally able to figure out where he is hiding. I can't stop him on my own, though," the Doctor explained. It was Jack's turn to finish off his glass as he listened to the Doctor. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with the Master again but this time no one was going to stop him from putting a bullet through each of the Master's hearts before putting one through his head. He would then burn the Master's body and scatter his ashes into the air as it was the only way to guarantee that a Time Lord was killed before he was able to regenerate.

"Let me see your arms," Jack told the Doctor. The Doctor didn't argue as he unbuttoned his jacket at the wrists and then rolled up his sleeves so Jack could see the inside of his elbows. He had been clean for three years now but the loss of trust remained especially with any mention of the Master. Jack stood coming around the desk and taking the Doctor's arm in his hand. He examined both of them before allowing the Doctor to recover his forearms.  
Satisfied that the Doctor hadn't started using again, Jack just took a seat on the front of his desk. "I'll help you, but we need to assemble a team before going after him. I also want details of where he is hiding so that we can apprehend him as safely as possible without losing anyone or putting anyone into unnecessary danger."

"I will tell you everything I know but we both know that you have no plans to apprehend him," the Doctor stated. 

"You're right. I want that bastard dead and nothing is going to stop me from making that dream come true. If you have a problem with it, then you shouldn't have come to me for help," Jack answered honestly. 

"It's exactly why I did come to you," the Doctor replied. He had tried to stop the Master on his own over the years but he had a weakness for his once friend that stopped him from harming the man. He hated to do it, but he would tell Jack everything he needed to know to take the Master down, then turn a blind eye as Jack killed the Master once and for all. With that thought, he finished off his whiskey before standing up. "Can I see Emily now?" 

"Of course." Jack led the Doctor out of his office and down the stairs into the hub. Emily was sitting on the couch coloring but she looked up as the two of them approached. A wide grin covered her face and she leaped to her feet running as quickly as her little legs could carry her. 

"Daddy," she screamed as she ran. The Doctor dropped to one knee holding his arms open wide to catch her as she flung herself into his arms. He scooped up her as he stood with her in his arms kissing her several times as he hugged her close. 

"I missed you so much, baby," the Doctor told her as he held her tightly. 

"I knew you would come back. Uncle Jack wasn't sure but I knew you would be back," Emily informed him. The Doctor held her so that he could look at her. 

"I love you so much my kui'la and I promise that I will always come back for you," The Doctor promised her. 

"I'm going to hold you to that," Jack answered for the little girl. The Doctor nodded as he hugged Emily close. It was clear to Jack just by watching the two of them interact that the Doctor was telling the truth about loving his daughter he just wasn't sure about the second part. Still, he had to give the Time Lord a chance and maybe once the Master was gone for good the Doctor would finally be able to keep his promise.


	12. Chapter 12

-Four Years Previous-

With the Doctor calm and sleeping, Jack sent Martha to his room to sleep for a few hours. They both knew that this was the calm before the storm and didn't know when he would feel the effects of the drug withdrawal. Martha was hesitant to agree at first but then went with the promise that Jack would wake her immediately if there were any changes. Jack agreed settling back to relax while keeping one eye on the Time Lord. During his time with the Doctor, he woke once complaining that he was horny again. Jack allowed him to take care of himself and after the Doctor laid sated and quiet for another hour. 

"I'm hungry," the Doctor stated after a while. 

"We don't have much food at the hub but I can send Ianto to go shopping in the morning. In the meantime, we have some crisps or I might have some bread that I can toast for you," Jack suggested. The Doctor's brow furrowed at the suggestion. It was clear that making a decision beyond the simple fact of being hungry was beyond him. It would have been funny in other circumstances but at the moment it just made Jack even angrier. He decided to take pity on the drugged Time Lord and just make him something to eat without his involvement in the decision. "I will be right back."

"Okay," the Doctor answered. Jack left him alone for a few minutes returning fairly quickly with a glass of water with a straw in it and a couple of pieces of toast with butter. He chose the items so that he was able to hold them and allow the Doctor to eat without having to unrestrain his hands. The Doctor didn't complain happily eating most of the toast and drinking a full cup of water. Once finished he took to staring at the ceiling again. The drugs were beginning to wear off and he was no longer laying still as he tried squirming on the bed. 

"How is he?" Martha wondered as she returned. She had slept for about four hours and though she was still tired, she needed to check on her patient. It was clear that the Doctor was no longer as comfortable. He was beginning to sweat and was rubbing his face continuously on the bed. 

"He had something to eat a little bit ago and touched himself again. Other than that he has been pretty quiet except for this last half hour where he has started to feel the effects of the drugs wearing off," Jack stated. Martha pulled out her stethoscope and listened to his hearts. They were a little fast for the fact that he was resting but she attributed to his aggravation. 

"Please, Martha, I need," the Doctor begged. 

"You're alright," Martha reassured him. 

"I am going to get caught up on the events for the night and then call a morning meeting. You don't need to come to the meeting as it will just be an update of last night's events plus assignment of jobs for the day. After I am going to make a call to the Brigadier to see about getting an update about their prisoner," Jack informed Martha as he stood stretching. Jack disappeared up the stairs going to the shower before calling the meeting. It was about halfway through that they heard the first screams coming from the autopsy room. Jack tried to remember if he had ever heard the Doctor swearing before as he continued to talk to his team. 

Within the next two hours, the screaming had become almost constant. The Doctor threatened to bring the Daleks, Cybermen, Judoon, and any other species he could think of to the earth in order to destroy it. He called Martha horrible names and to Jack's surprise, Martha didn't smack him for it. She took the abuse even if he could see on the CCTV that it was starting to wear her down. He was also tired of hearing it and was positive that the rest of his team was as well. He still needed to call the Brigadier but he wasn't going to with the Doctor screaming in the background. Making a decision, he made his way back down to the autopsy room. 

"I need you to sedate him," Jack told Martha. 

"Don't you fucking dare," the Doctor swore at them.

"Sedating him isn't the answer Jack," Martha answered ignoring the Doctor's outburst. 

"It won't be for long. Just long enough that I can move him to the cells," Jack informed her.

"I don't think that will help anything," Martha answered. 

"It will allow him to scream while the rest of us can get our work done without having to listen to him," Jack told her calmly. Martha looked at the Doctor. The entire time they were speaking the Time Lord was continuing to scream obscenities at them making it hard for them to talk. He wasn't going to go quiet anytime soon as he was miserable and wanted to make them let him go. She didn't like it but Jack was right and the cells would be the best place for him. Going over to the cupboard, she pulled out a clean syringe along with a Time Lord safe sedative. As soon as the Doctor was asleep, Jack began to undo the restraints releasing him from the bed. He scooped the Doctor up in his arms carrying him up the stairs then back down the stairs towards the cells. In the first two cells, there was Janet and a second weevil that they were watching. Jack placed the Doctor in the very last cell, laying him carefully on the bed. He then turned to see Martha was standing nearby watching him. 

"Do you want him restrained to the bed again?" Jack wondered as she held out the padded restraints to him from the autopsy room bed. 

"Yes, but only for the next few days while I continue to medicate him and keep an eye on his vitals," Martha explained. Jack didn't question her any further as he helped her to place the restraints. He then left the cell, leaving the door open so that Martha could continue to monitor her patient. With him sedated, the hub was now quiet and Jack just hoped it stayed that way. For now, though, he had an overdue call to make.


	13. Chapter 13

Martha stayed down in the cell with the Doctor as she waited for him to fight the sedation. Even if she could keep an eye on him using the CCTV, she wanted to be within reaction distance if he was sick. Which there was a good chance of with the pregnancy as well as drug withdrawal. So, she sat down in the chair beside his bed as he moaned himself awake. He began to tug on the restraints even before his eyes opened, testing their give. He was able to move slightly but not enough to even begin thinking of an escape. Opening his eyes a crack, he rolled them as he saw Martha was sitting by the bed. 

"So I'm your prisoner now?" The Doctor asked. 

"You are only in the cells while you continue to detox. Here you can be as loud as you want and the only ones who are going to hear you are the weevils," Martha explained. 

"That doesn't mean I am not your prisoner. I didn't need nor did I want your or Jack's help with withdrawing. What I want is for you to take me back to London and release me," the Doctor responded. He wasn't yelling at the moment, so she decided to stay and talk to him while he was calm. 

"I'm sorry, Doctor but that isn't going to happen right now. After you've finished withdrawing and are healthy both in mind and body, we will discuss your return to London. Until that time, I have been authorized to keep you here in Cardiff," Martha answered. The Doctor rolled his eyes. 

"Do you really think this cell can contain me?" The Doctor asked. Martha nodded. 

"Yes, I do. Without your sonic, you won't be able to access the panel to open the cell and there are several fail-safes in case you do manage to get out. I won't tell you all of them but I will tell you that if you manage to pry your cell open, Janet's cell automatically opens as well and she really doesn't like people down here because she can't wander freely while others are locked up," Martha told him. The Doctor was curious of who Janet was but he didn't ask. He also couldn't see her through the stone walls that surrounded three sides of his cell and the glass that faced another stone wall. He noticed the camera up in the corner the minute he opened his eyes and knew that was another way that they would make sure he wouldn't escape. Still, he wasn't worried as he had gotten out of more secure prisons and was positive he could break out of this cell once his hands were free. 

"The Master," the Doctor started. 

"The Master is currently locked up at UNIT," Martha interrupted. She expected the Doctor to be angry at the information so she was surprised when he laughed. 

"Oh, you poor stupid apes. Not even the Time Lord's could contain the Master and you really think that UNIT can keep him there. He will be out soon enough and I feel sorry for anyone who gets in his way," the Doctor advised her coldly. 

"What happened to you?" Martha wondered. The Doctor she knew wouldn't want the Master to hurt anyone while he escaped. Jack told her that the Doctor thought he was a murderer but she thought that she knew him better than that. He only killed when absolutely necessary and even then he never liked to do it. 

"I won," The Doctor answered simply as he rolled his head over to look at her. Martha stopped herself from hitting the defenseless man even if she felt that he quite deserved it at the moment. She tried to tell herself that he was drugged up still and had been with the Master for an unknown amount of time. It didn't help, though. "Once I am out of here, I am going to bring every alien possible down on this miserable planet and destroy it for good."

"No, you won't. As soon as you are clean and healthy, you will give up this quest for vengeance," Martha replied calmly. 

"You don't know me as well as you think I do. I am going to start by calling down the Daleks," the Doctor threatened. Martha just rolled her eyes at him. 

"You hate the Daleks," she reminded him. 

"That doesn't mean I won't use them to annihilate the earth," The Doctor argued. "Then once they are done I will bring the Cybermen, Sontarans, the Slitheens, and anyone else who wants to come and take out the rest of the civilians. And I will keep calling them unless you let me return to London right now."

"My answer is still no," Martha answered without even thinking about it. 

"Just let me fucking go," the Doctor yelled as he realized that he was getting nowhere with his threats. 

"You're not going anywhere. So you might as well get comfortable because you are going to be here for a while," Martha told him. With the return of his swearing and yelling, she headed towards the door of the cells. 

"Bitch. I should have let them keep you on that highway," the Doctor screamed. Martha ignored him as she left pulling the door closed. Turning to the panel next to the door she input the code for the door listening to it lock. She could still hear the Doctor screaming but now the sound was slightly muted due to the thickness of the door. She ignored it as she headed up the stairs. 

"I am putting the cell door on a rotating lock code that will change hourly while he is here. I will update you with the new code via email," Jack informed her as she reached the top. She wasn't surprised to see him as he would have been alerted the moment that the door was locked. It was another of the fail-safes that and the fact the hub would go into lockdown if the Doctor actually managed to escape, giving him another obstacle in order to reach the outside world. 

"I also want him to be monitored 24/7 via CCTV while he is alone and withdrawing to make sure that he doesn't need immediate medical attention," Martha stated. 

"Already on it. Ianto is taking the first shift and I will take the next. I am going to need help with watching the monitors at night, though," Jack explained. 

"I am not going anywhere for the time being. I can help take night watch and I am sure Mickey would be willing to help as well. Even if he doesn't always show it, he cares about the Doctor and doesn't want any harm to come to him," Martha answered. She moved around Jack to where Ianto was sitting. She could see on the monitor that he was still yelling as he tried to thrash on the bed. "I will be in the autopsy room if I am needed. I still have a weevil to finish studying." 

"Of course," Ianto replied. With one more glance back at the monitor, Martha headed down to the autopsy room. She would let the Doctor throw his fit all he wanted. In the meantime she had an actual job to do.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack remained up in his office working as he took care of the paperwork required by UNIT for their files. He had an almost empty bottle of whiskey open on the desk beside him that had been full when the morning started. It was difficult for him to get drunk on just plan whiskey but as long as he kept drinking it at this pace he remained pleasantly tipsy. It helped him not to focus on the Time Lord down in his own cells or the Time Lord at UNIT, even if he had to write reports. Finally, around eleven, he could put it off no longer and placed the long-overdue call to UNIT. The Brigadier reassured him though that no new information had been acquired since he had emailed him. 

"The Master is still being strangely quiet in his cell and just sitting staring at the wall in front of him. It is making even my most seasoned guards uneasy and we have them cycle every few hours in order to keep up morale and not allow the Master to imitate any of them," The Brigadier explained. 

"The Doctor is making enough noise for the both of them. I had to move him down to the cells because he won't stop screaming and it was disturbing my team," Jack answered. He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "It would have been fine if all he was doing was screaming, but he is also swearing and threating to bring down the aliens that he once defended the earth from as well. I know once he is of a healthy mind, he will regret his words but right now I think he would really call the Daleks down in order to break free from Torchwood."

"My offer still stands to have him brought to UNIT while he withdrawals and recovers," Alistair reminded Jack. 

"He is fine here. I have dealt with people detoxing in the past and while it is something I would have never expected to go through with him, I feel that we are better able to assist him here, away from the prying eyes of UNIT," Jack made clear. "He is also insistent that the Master is going to escape and if that does happen I feel it is better to have him here in Cardiff than right next to that man."

"I can assure you that every precaution is being taken to ensure that the Master remains in our custody," The Brigadier tried. 

"We both know what kind of man he is though. I know you have dealt with him in the past during your time with the Doctor. I personally spent a year with him recently and know that he can be very persuasive when he wants to be. I will feel better when he is either dead or transported to a facility that is used to dealing with dangerous aliens of his caliber," Jack answered. 

"Unless you have the technology to call an extraterrestrial down that we can trust to transport him to a secure prison then I am afraid that having him here at UNIT is our best option," he advised Jack. 

"I don't at the moment and I would be reluctant to allow him aboard the TARDIS, even if the Doctor was completely healthy," Jack responded. It was a half-lie as he could monitor the skies using his vortex manipulator. There was always some sort of vessel in orbit, usually tourists, but none that he trusted that were equipped to take the Master. There were also several groups of aliens on Earth that he could speak with but they were in hiding and wouldn't willingly take the burden of the Master and risk exposure. 

"No, nor I," the Brigadier agreed. They ended their call with pleasantries and reassurances that information would be passed as soon as it was available. Jack also promised that he would have Ianto type up and forward the reports as soon as possible. With the call ended, he finished off his bottle of whiskey as he completed the reports. Collecting them, he made his way down the stairs to where Ianto was still sitting by the CCTV. He had a pad of paper in front of him and was making notations as he stared at the screen.

"What are you writing?" Jack wondered as he approached the young Welshman. 

"It took me a while to figure it out but he keeps signing letters in order to create words with his fingers," Ianto explained without looking away from the screen. 

"Is he saying anything important?" Jack wondered. Ianto just shook his head no. 

"Nothing yet. Mostly I have been able to decipher threats and being asked to be let go," Ianto answered. He moved the paper so that Jack could read it as he continued to write. At the top were the words let me go with tally marks next to them. He also had threats of bringing aliens to attack them or how he was the oncoming storm. Most of what he was signing was just an attempt to intimidate them but it was hard to be afraid when he was strapped down tightly to the bed with constant supervision in order to make sure that he stays down in the cells. 

"You can continue to keep one eye on him but I need you to also type up these reports in order to forward them to UNIT as soon as possible," Jack told him. Ianto set aside the tablet and took the stack of papers from Jack. He flipped through them quickly seeing that none of them were standard templates but also weren't that long. It wouldn't take him that much time to type them up and he could have sent them to UNIT within a couple of hours. Pulling one of the other screens closers, he turned so that he could continue to keep an eye on the Doctor as he began to type. 

Jack borrowed the notepad for a short time taking it down to the autopsy room where Martha was still working. She had cleaned and the weevil was no longer on the table. Instead, she was sitting at her computer working on blood and tissue samples in order to see if there was a reason why the Weevils were acting strange. So far, she had discovered nothing leaving her to believe that their clan had grown too large for their current location. She was close to concluding that they were probably just hungry and needed to be moved to a location that had food more readily available. She just had to finish her research in order to confirm her theory. Still, it was a welcome relief when Jack entered the room and she turned away from her work. She took the paper that she was handed reading it over. 

"I told Ianto to keep an eye on him in case he says anything important like he is hungry or that he has to use the loo," Jack informed her. Martha looked at her watch. The Doctor had been with them about twelve hours now and he had yet to ask to use the loo or have a bottle. If he were human he would have had to use the toilet by now as he ate and drank during the night while Jack was watching him. 

"How often does he need to use the toilet?" Martha wondered.

"Honestly, I don't know," Jack told her. He had seen the Doctor use the toilet while they traveled together and were imprisoned. He just didn't know how long the doctor had been holding it for before he had no choice but to go. 

"I should place a catheter for him just in case then. I am also going to set up an IV so that he can get the nutrients he needs until he is ready to start eating again. It will also allow me to give him the medications he needs in order to help him through the withdrawal," Martha explained. She got up leaving the computer and headed over to the medical cupboard. From there she retrieved the IV and stand as well as the tubing that she would need and a bag with a few supplies. Together the two of them made their way down to the cells. As they approached the Doctor, they could hear him screaming still and threating to harm everyone in his path in order to make his escape. Jack typed in the code to unlock the door and opened it allowing Martha to go in first as he stood guard. The Doctor glared at her as he looked over at her. 

"Hello, Doctor. How are you feeling?" Martha wondered. 

"Like you really care. If you did care, you wouldn't be holding me against my will," the Doctor spat at her. 

"Actually, I do care and that is why I am here. I am going to place an IV for you so that we can start providing you with medication in order to help you feel better while withdrawing. I am also going to place a catheter so that you will be more comfortable," Martha explained to him ignoring his anger. She approached the bed with Jack, handing him the catheter tube as she hung the IV off the stand. He swore at her as she placed the needle into his arm and taped it in place. She made sure that the line was running clear before she moved to place the catheter. 

"Don't you dare fucking touch me," the Doctor yelled at her. Martha ignored him as she moved his trousers down. She took him carefully in her hand as she cleaned him with iodine. He continued to yell at her as she took the hose from Jack opening it. She carefully placed the tube making sure it was in place. She attached the bag opening the valve. Immediately it began to fill showing that despite his protest he needed to go. She waited until he was done before switching the bag so that she could test his urine. 

"There isn't that better," Martha told him. 

"Fuck you." Was the Doctor's only answer.


	15. Chapter 15

Over the next two days little changed. The Doctor continued to be restrained to the bed as he screamed until he fell asleep. He refused to eat, drink, or even acknowledge them as he demanded to be released. He made sure they knew that he was their prisoner and that he refused to accept the help that they were forcing upon him. He also made sure they knew that once the Master was free he would be coming to save him and he couldn't wait to watch the tiny little apes fall. He was wrong on all accounts except for one. It was the reason the hub was currently on lockdown, not that he knew that. The less he knew about the call that Jack received earlier that morning the better in his opinion.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he answered. It was his usual greeting and not just a way of flirting as the Doctor thought. Granted, he could use it to flirt if he wanted to, just a slight change in his tone and he could have any man, woman, or variation thereupon swooning over him. 

"Captain, I am sorry to call you so early but as of 0600 hours the Master has managed to escape from captivity," the Brigadier responded. 

"This is a joke, isn't it?" Jack asked positive that he didn't hear the man correctly.

"I'm sorry but it is not a joke. We received information early this morning that a shuttle had landed near the base and others were on the way to rescue him. We put extra guards at the perimeter but they still managed to infiltrate our troops. In fact, one of them was already working for UNIT and while our men were distracted they attacked the other guards allowing the Master to slip free. We tried to stop him but he was able to make it out of UNIT and to his allies," Alistair informed him. Jack swore underneath his breath as he used his computer to place the hub on a red alert. He bypassed the cells making sure they remained brightly lit and that the Doctor was unaware of anything that was going on. 

"He had to have planned his escape in case he was captured because he was out in a matter of minutes. We will do everything we can to help you recapture him if he returns to Earth but we will have to find another place to keep him outside of UNIT as we have no way of knowing if he has other allies inside. We do plan to launch a full investigation into our men and anyone who was helping with him will be dealt with," The Brigadier reassured Jack. 

"How did these men go undetected?" Jack wondered. There was no accusation in his voice but just a general curiosity. UNIT was a big place but they had annual physicals and anyone not human would be detected almost immediately.

"We aren't sure. The man who escaped with him was well on his way to being promoted. He was well-liked among his peers and showed no signs that he was helping the Master," the Brigadier explained. 

"Was he aboard the Valiant?" Jack questioned. While most of the world got to forget what happened during the year that never was, there were a handful of soldiers who were on the Valiant who still remembered. 

"No, he was hired after," The Brigadier answered honestly.

"Keep me updated on the progress and I will call you if he shows up here. For now, I have to go update my team on why we are on red alert," Jack told him. He didn't give the Brigadier a chance to say goodbye before he hung up the phone. Leaning back, he ran his hands down his face. The Doctor was convinced that the minute the Master had escaped he would be on his way to Cardiff to free the Doctor. Jack just hoped that he was wrong. Standing up, he made his way out of his office calling out to his team members to join him in the meeting room in five minutes. They came to stopping points in their work as Ianto went to make everyone coffees. Jack went ahead of them into the meeting room to pull up the feed from the cells so he could still keep an eye on the Doctor as they spoke. 

The Doctor hadn't moved. He wasn't screaming anymore either as he stared at the camera with all the force of the oncoming storm. Jack had seen that stare many times and knew it could cause even the mightest of the Doctor's foes to crumble. It was hard to be afraid of him when he was completely immobilized by restraints with an IV in his arm and catheter. He left the screen on as his team filed in. Drinks were passed around and they all sat sipping them as Jack told them about the Brigadiers call. 

"Are our family's safe?" Martha wondered as he finished. 

"I believe they are but just in case I can have the Brigadier send guards to stay with your family. I can also do that for your families Gwen, and Ianto," Jack offered. Gwen nodded her approval while Ianto declined. He only had his sister and she didn't know of the work that he did at Torchwood. He didn't want her to find out by guards showing up at her door to protect her. Jack promised they could still discreetly watch her and Ianto readily agreed to that as long as they didn't enter her home. The main part of the meeting done, they quickly discussed the morning events before returning to work. Jack took one last look at the monitor before making his way back to his office. He had a lot of work to do but first, he needed to call the Brigadier again to make sure every one of their families was safe, including his own.


	16. Chapter 16

Ianto returned to his post somewhat bored as he watched the Doctor. He had paperwork piling up and took a minute to run down to his office to retrieve a small stack to type up as he sat at the monitor. He returned quickly seeing that nothing had changed in his absence. Postive that the Doctor would be fine, he began to work on his tasks keeping only a half eye on the Time Lord. He regretted this decision as he turned back in time to see the Doctor getting sick to his stomach. He was unable to sit up so he had no choice but to turn his head to the side getting it on the pillow and bed. Ianto started to call for Martha to tend to the Time Lord but she was on the phone and Jack was in his office. Rather than disturb them and admit he hadn't been keeping a close eye on the Doctor, he took it upon himself to clean up after him. Getting to his feet he went down to the laundry and got a fresh pillow and blanket before heading down to the cells. Going to the Doctor's cell, he put in the code and let himself in. 

"So they sent you to torture me now, did they. Well get to it then so I can go back to sleep," the Doctor told him sounding bored. 

"I am sorry you think you are being tortured by being restrained to the bed but I am not here to hurt you. I am just here to change your bed since you were ill," Ianto explained to him calmly. 

"So you're the errand boy then," the Doctor responded trying to upset Ianto. It didn't work as Ianto set the small pile down beside the bed reaching for the Doctor's pillow. 

"Among other things," Ianto answered simply not taking the bait. He knew that while he was a valuable member of the team, he was also a secretary. His main job was filing paperwork, making tea and coffee, as well as making sure that Jack had clean laundry. He was also able to go out in the field occasionally and helped where needed but overall he was trusted with Jack's secrets as well as his heart. 

"Did Jack tell you he was a conman when I first met him. He almost killed the entire world just to try to get back at the Time Agency," the Doctor informed Ianto as he started to change the bed. Ianto listened as he took the cover off the pillow carefully placing it to the side followed by the blanket. 

"Jack makes mistakes but he is a good man. He has changed Torchwood from the institute that it was to the small facility it is now. Thanks to him, we now work to help the aliens that are on Earth while protecting humans rather than trying to imprison and control them," Ianto explained to the Doctor. He ignored the rude noise that the Doctor made with his mouth as he tried to figure out the best way to replace the sheet under the Doctor. It was easy enough to release the corners and pull it out, the problem was putting it back. 

"He is a conman. He will say anything to make you believe him and then he will hurt you in the end. Just like he is hurting me," the Doctor stated. Ianto couldn't help but roll his eyes. He attached the sheet to the bottom of the bed wondering how he was going to get it to the top. He carefully started maneuvering it under the Doctor as he continued to speak to him. 

"Jack loves you," Ianto stated.

"He has a funny way of showing it," The Doctor sighed. 

"Yeah, he does but he is trying," Ianto agreed. "I know you may not be able to see it now or understand but he saved you from the Master. Once you are clean, you will be able to see how much he was hurting you. In the meantime, Jack will take your anger and your hate because he loves you too much to continue watching you suffer at the hands of the Master."

"I wasn't suffering," the Doctor argued. It was Ianto's turn to sigh. The Doctor was refusing to see any logic at the moment and it was useless to try to get through to him. He didn't try to continue the conversation as he managed to attach the sheet to the top of the bed after a minute of struggle, then covered the Doctor with a blanket again. He replaced the pillowcase and lifted the Doctor's head placing it back on the bed. He collected the dirty laundry heading out of the cell to wash it. 

"Ianto," the Doctor spoke up as he exited. Ianto paused turning to look at the Time Lord. 

"Yes, Doctor?" He wondered. 

"I want to thank you for being nice to me. It's too bad it won't save you from the Master when he comes to kill you all," The Doctor informed him. Ianto closed the door without answering him making sure to lock it tightly behind him. He turned to start towards the stairs when he noticed that Jack was leaning against the wall watching him. 

"He threw up on his bed, so I was changing the sheets," Ianto explained before Jack could even ask. 

"I know, I saw on the camera. I was just making sure you were alright and that you knew not to worry about the Master. If he does come here, I will protect everyone here from him," Jack promised. Ianto smiled. 

"I know, sir. I trust you," he reassured him. Jack moved to the side so that Ianto could take the laundry up the stairs. As he passed, though, Jack stole a quick kiss. He watched Ianto go up the stairs before quietly moving to the door of the cell. The Doctor was staring up at the camera again as he tried to taunt whoever was watching him. Jack slipped quietly back up the stairs without the Doctor ever knowing he was there. 

It was almost night time before Jack returned to the Doctor's side. During that time Martha had been in to change over the IVs and catheter bag. She also added an antiemetic to help the Doctor from becoming sick again. She wasn't overly worried about it, though, as he was both pregnant and withdrawing, both on their own were enough to make him sick and together they would make him miserable. If he wasn't restrained, she might have just made him suffer but since he was, she decided to take pity on him so that he didn't accidentally choke. The Doctor stated at him, as Jack unlocked the cell and made his way over to the chair beside the bed. He flopped down in it, sprawling out slightly as he relaxed. The Doctor glared at him but Jack took no notice of the look as he made himself comfortable. 

"So how is your escape plan coming? Not very well, I would think as I couldn't help but notice that despite your threats, you are still restrained to the bed in my cells. There is also no sign of the Master coming to rescue you and if I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath until he comes," Jack informed the Time Lord. The Doctor's glare deepened as Jack taunted him but Jack met his eyes refusing to turn away. 

"He will come for me," the Doctor argued. 

"I don't think that is true, Doc. I mean he escaped over twelve hours ago and he has yet to make his way down to Cardiff. He just took off to the stars with some young men he managed to con into helping him without a glance back at the Earth," Jack answered. 

"You're lying. He promised that he wouldn't leave in the TARDIS without me again and if you take me to London, I will prove it," the Doctor yelled. 

"The TARDIS isn't in London," Jack replied. He saw the Doctor pale at his words and he decided not to tell the Doctor that the TARDIS was safely secured on the other side of the hub. 

"She has to be. I left her in the room we were staying in," the Doctor insisted. 

"I can assure you she isn't there and when you are feeling better, I would be more than happy to take you up there to prove it. In the meantime, you might as well get comfortable as I have the feeling you are going to be on Earth for quite a while," Jack told him standing. 

"You're lying," the Doctor screamed again. "She isn't gone. She wouldn't leave me here and neither would he." He sounded even more desperate as he screamed. 

"And you're lying to yourself if you really thought you could ever trust him," Jack answered. He ignored the obscenities the Doctor yelled at him as he left him alone once more. Going up the stairs, he headed to his office. He had been wondering how to make sure that the Doctor stayed on Earth until he was healed and the Doctor had given him the idea without even realizing it. He was going to have to move the TARDIS out of the hub as soon as possible and hide it somewhere secure that the Doctor wouldn't be able to find it until he was ready to travel again. Maybe one day the Doctor would forgive him for the deception but for now, he was going to have to get used to the slow life on Earth.


	17. Chapter 17

Despite the Doctor's tendency to park the TARDIS anywhere and everywhere that he pleased there were only two places on this Earth that Jack trusted to store her. Neither one of those options were currently an option as the Doctor was currently staying in Torchwood and the Master had infiltrated UNIT. He could have moved her to Flatholm island but there he kept people affected by the rift and he didn't know if the raw power of the TARDIS would upset them even more. He tried to think of his other options but he had no home outside of Torchwood and he wouldn't willingly place any of his workers or their families in danger just to hide the TARDIS as he had no doubts that the Master wouldn't hesitate to kill or torture them just to get his hands on her. That left the option of a self-storage facility. 

Turning to his computer, he found one a facility that was nearby. It had a large gate on the outside and cameras in the main aisles that he would be able to hack into in order to monitor the unit. He rented a unit that was tucked back in the corner paying for the next six months in advanced. He would have Mickey and Ianto move the TARDIS there and install security cameras inside the unit as well so that they could monitor the blue box at all times. With everything in place, he left his office in order to inform the two men of his plan. He was a little annoyed upon exiting to find that Ianto was working on a secondary computer with the CCTV pulled up just out of his line of sight. He hurried down the stairs making his way over to the Welshman first. 

"How is he doing?" Jack wondered as he approached Ianto. Ianto barely looked away from the screen that he was working on to check on the Doctor. He was still laying glaring at the screen with his hand moving quickly as he spelled. Ianto didn't even need to watch for that long to know what he was saying. 

"He's still fine. He has been glaring at the camera since you left and he keeps saying the same thing over and over again," Ianto answered. He handed Jack the note pad. It had a single line with the words, *I want to see,* followed by tally marks. It seemed Ianto had given up keeping track after a while but the Doctor was still determined. If he ignored his requests to see that the TARDIS wasn't there it would just convince the Doctor that they were lying to him. To take him out of the cells was dangerous and he didn't know if the Doctor would lash out at him. 

"Ianto, I need you to take Mickey and get the TARDIS out of the hub. I don't care how you do it, but she can not be in here when I bring the Doctor upstairs here in the next few minutes," Jack told him. 

"Any place I should take her, sir?" Ianto questioned. Jack gave him the address to the unit that he had secured and he watched Ianto head over to Mickey. Thankfully neither one questioned his request as they determined the best way to haul the large wooden box quickly out of the hub and out of sight. With them on the task, he headed back down the cells to see the Time Lord. He let himself into the cell as the Doctor started to scream. 

"He wouldn't fucking leave me. He promised me that this time he would stay and I won't have you lying to me. You have no right to keep me in this cell restrained to this bed. So you have two choices. Either let me go or prove to me that he left me here," The Doctor yelled. 

"Really, are those my only two options? Because from where I am standing, you don't look like you are in a position to make demands. Still, I was going to offer to take you upstairs and to London so that you could see for yourself the Master is gone but if you would prefer to yell and swear at me, I could just leave you restrained here alone instead," Jack answered him calmly. The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the Captain. 

"You were just going to let me go upstairs and to London?" the Doctor asked the doubt clear in his tone. 

"No, I was going to tell you that I will take you upstairs and to London but only on my terms," Jack answered. 

"Which are?" The Doctor wondered. His eyes narrowed further as Jack pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "So despite your claims, I am your prisoner."

"You threatened my team and told Ianto that the Master was going to kill him. If you were anybody else, I would leave you down in this cell to suffer until you were done withdrawing and I knew you were safe. Being that you were once my friend, I am willing to make exceptions but the only way I am letting move around the hub and interact with my team is in handcuffs until I can trust you again," Jack explained. The Doctor huffed loudly at him. He mumbled something under his breath as he debated with himself. 

"Go screw yourself," the Doctor mumbled loudly making a rude gesture at him. 

"Fine. My offer stands despite your attitude," Jack responded. He turned his back leaving the cell. He didn't lock it as he stood a short way from the door. He thought the Doctor would change his mind as soon as he left the cell but the Time Lord's stubbornness persevered. He made Jack wait for another twenty minutes before he called out to him. 

"I'm not stupid and know you are still standing out there. I don't like it but I agree with your asinine conditions," the Doctor spoke up. Jack turned going back into the cell. 

"I am going to clip of the catheter and remove the restraints from your arms now. I am not going to remove any other restraints until I have your hands cuffed," Jack warned him. The Doctor glared as he nodded. Jack threw back the blanket and taking no pleasure in the Doctor's naked body clipped off the catheter. He then released the Doctor's left hand. He placed the cuff around his wrist locking it in place. Adding a step, he helped the Doctor place his hands through one side of his button-up shirt before doing the same on his right side. He then cuffed both the Time Lord's hands in front of him. Leaving the shirt unbuttoned he freed the Doctor from the bed. The Doctor didn't fight as he helped him into a pair of trousers. 

He didn't stop the Doctor from exploring the hub letting him see for himself that the TARDIS wasn't there. The Doctor moved around with a determinacy as he opened every door and checked every room for his beloved blue box. Not finding her, he demanded to be taken to London. Martha wasn't happy with him leaving but prepared a small bag of medicine for Jack to take with him. Jack helped the Doctor finish dressing then led him out to the SUV. He put him into the backseat before climbing into the driver's seat. The drive to London was anything but quiet as the Doctor threatened him almost the entire way. He was positive that the Master would be waiting for them upon reaching London and that Jack was going to have to relive his time aboard the Valiant. Jack just let him talk knowing that he wasn't thinking straight. If he hadn't been withdrawing he would have realized that they had plenty of time to manipulate the situation to their own benefit. His drugged mind failed to make the connection, though. 

Upon arriving at the hotel, the Doctor practically jumped out of the SUV running to the hotel room he had shared with the Master. The room was empty still as the Master had prepaid for the month. They still had a few personal items in the room but not the beloved blue box or the man that the Doctor was desperately looking for. The Doctor was frantic as he looked around the small hotel room even checking the small wardrobe before demanding to be brought to UNIT. Jack called the Brigadier to let them know they were on their way as he took the Doctor to their final desperation. They played the same game upon arrival with the Doctor searching for any sign of the two things he was looking for. He wasn't going to find them their either but Jack still let him explore. 

Their final stop was the control center of UNIT. The Brigadier had his men pull up the footage of the Master's escape playing it for the Time Lord. He watched in disbelief as the Master left the grounds without even a glance back. There was no footage of him once he left UNIT so the Doctor was only able to assume where he went. He made them play the footage again as he stared at the screen. The Master was gone. His TARDIS was gone. Once more he was stuck on Earth and he was going to have to live life on the slow path. He felt tears prickling at his eyes and he reached up wiping them.

"Jack, I want to go back to Torchwood," the Doctor whispered, his voice so low that Jack could barely hear him. The fight was gone and he walked slightly hunched as he was led to the SUV and once more placed in the back. There was no argument or name-calling as Jack started the SUV and headed once more back towards Cardiff. The Doctor's spirit had been thoroughly broken and now maybe he would allow them to give him the help that he desperately needed.


	18. Chapter 18

It was late by the time that they arrived back at the hub. The Doctor didn't fight as Jack helped him out of the back of the SUV leading him into the hub with one hand on the Time Lord's arm. As they entered, Jack wasn't surprised to see that his entire team was still there working despite the hour. Torchwood wasn't just their jobs but also the main part of their lives because it was hard to have time for family and friends when at any moment they could be called in to take care of an alien threat or search for an artifact. It was also because of those reasons that Jack turned a blind eye to the fact that Mickey and Martha often had sex in her office. Besides, he was doing the same with Ianto in the greenhouse. 

"How did it go?" Martha wondered. The Doctor didn't answer as he stared at the ground. He looked lost and as much as it hurt Martha to see she agreed with Jack that this was for the best. Together they would get him healthy. Only then would they tell him how they lied and hope that one day he forgave them. 

"I will tell you about it later. First I am going to put him back in his cell," Jack answered. She nodded her understanding as with a gentle tug Jack started towards the stairs to the cells. 

"Can I have a shower?" The Doctor wondered his voice low. 

"I'll have to shower with you," Jack advised him.

"I know," the Doctor answered.

"And I'm not removing the cuffs," Jack told him. 

"Fine," the Doctor agreed his voice never rising above the whisper. Jack turned toward the communal showers. He took the Doctor inside then closed and locked the door behind him. While it wasn't unusual for the small group to jump in the showers together have a particularly horrible day in the field right now he didn't feel as if the others needed to see what the Doctor's naked. He also didn't think that the Doctor would be in the mood to fight back with his spirit broken. 

"I am going to release your arms briefly in order to help you undress. If you try anything, I will drag you back to the cell and throw away the key. Is that understood?" Jack threatened. 

"Perfectly," the Doctor replied. Trusting the Time Lord, Jack unlocked his left wrist briefly. The Doctor didn't try to pull away as Jack helped him to remove his shirt before once more attaching the cuff. He helped the Doctor strip naked, then removed his own clothing. The Doctor paled slightly as Jack stood naked before him. He swallowed hard staring forward, determined not to let his eyes wander. Jack didn't try to flirt with him as he led the Doctor over to the shower and turned on the water. He took the Doctor's cooler body temperature into account as he didn't want to scald the Time Lord. When the water was just hot to his touch, he allowed the Doctor to step in. The Doctor sighed letting his head drop once more so that he was staring at the drain as the water ran down his face. A shudder went through his body as Jack climbed into the shower behind him. 

"Easy," Jack cooed softly. He picked up a clean flannel, lathering it with soap. His movements were gentle as he ran the cloth along the Doctor's back helping him to wash the sweat off his lithe body. The Doctor didn't help, nor did he complain as Jack helped him to wash. Jack then had him lean his head out of the water so that he could shampoo his hair. The Doctor let out a soft moan as Jack's fingers massaged his scalp. Jack didn't comment as the Doctor became putty in his hands over the care that he was being shown. He also didn't show how much it broke his own heart as he wondered if anyone had ever taken the time to care for the Doctor and show he was loved without demanding something of his body in exchange. He allowed the Doctor to let his head fall forward again, then helped him to rinse the shampoo out of his hair. Once done, he gave the Doctor a few more minutes to relax under the warm spray before turning it off. He then helped the Doctor to dry and redress in his trousers only. 

"Do you want or need anything before I take you back down to your cell?" Jack questioned him once they were done. 

"No," the Doctor answered. 

"I have to admit, you are kind of worrying me, Doc," Jack informed him.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered. Jack sighed. He pulled the Time Lord into a hug holding onto him tightly. The Doctor wasn't able to hug him back but that didn't stop him from trying. He leaned into Jack taking comfort in the immortal's arms. It once more reaffirmed to Jack that it had been a while since anyone truly cared for him. Jack vowed to change that and remind the Doctor that his body wasn't just there to provide other people pleasure. 

He held the Doctor for a long moment before making the hard decision to take him back to the cells. The Doctor stepped inside waiting patiently while Jack closed the door. He then turned to put his hands through the window in order to allow Jack to remove the cuffs. He rubbed his wrists as he strolled over to the loo. He still had the catheter tube in his body and it felt weird to release the clamp so that he could relieve himself without Jack's eyes watching him. His bladder empty and his body relaxed from the shower, he strolled over to the bed laying down on it. The lights were still on in the cell and the camera in the corner provided him with no privacy. He turned his back to the camera, hiding his face as he finally let himself feel the pain of being left on earth alone with no means of escape. 

While he could hide his face he couldn't hide the shuddering breaths or the way his body shook from them. Giving him a little privacy, Jack turned out the lights in the cells. The night vision camera came on but it allowed the Doctor to have the illusion that no one was watching him and Jack made sure no one would be. He sent Martha home then took Ianto's hand leading him towards his room. Only in Ianto's arms would he admit how hard it was to break the Doctor and come morning he would once more be strong for his friend.


	19. Chapter 19

Jack woke the next morning, tangled in the arms of the man he loved. He kissed the young Welsh man softly on the head as he thought briefly of getting out of the warm bed. They had spent most of the night making love with Jack holding Ianto tightly to him as their bodies moved as one. His body might have been with Ianto but his mind was with the Time Lord down in the cells. He was worried about how still the Doctor was and how easily they had managed to break him. If he had been healthy in mind, he would have seen through Jack's attempts but thanks to the Master he had allowed himself to be easily tricked. 

He gently kissed the man one last time as he made the decision to get out of bed. Carefully, so as not to wake the sleeping man, he untangled himself out of his sleeping lover's arms. He tucked the blanket back up to Ianto's neck making sure he was comfortable still before leaving him. He made his way to the shower first, washing their combined sweat and Ianto's cum off his body before dressing for the day. He then made his way up the ladder into his office and then down the stairs to the hub. Going over to the CCTV computer he could see that the Doctor had eventually fallen asleep. He was laying sprawled on his back now with one hand rested on his stomach and the other thrown to the side. His head was turned to the side with his mouth slightly open. It took a long moment for Jack to see his chest rising and falling steadily. 

After confirming to himself that the Doctor was all right, Jack forced himself to turn away. There was still about another hour before Ianto needed to be up and the others would start arriving at the hub, in the meantime, there was work that he needed to do. First, he went up to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. It wasn't as good as Ianto's coffee but it would do while he checked on the rift reports. He then scrolled through the news to make sure there was nothing that would need Torchwood's assistance. With the basic necessities done, he laid out the work that needed to be completed by his team for the day. As he was finishing, Ianto stumbled sleepily to the kitchen to start his own coffee and shortly after the hub door opened with Mickey and Martha arriving. Martha immediately made her way over to the CCTV staring at the sleeping man. 

"How is he this morning?" Martha asked without looking away from the screen. 

"He has been asleep since I woke up and I didn't want to wake him quite yet. I figured he doesn't need to be anywhere so he can sleep for as long as he needs to," Jack informed her. 

"Despite no longer being on the IV, he still needs his medications. I would also like to remove the catheter from his body so that he can use the loo on his own," Martha advised Jack. 

"We both know he was upset last night Martha, and I don't know when he was able to fall asleep. Would it really be detrimental to his health if we let him sleep for a couple more hours?" Jack wondered on the Time Lord's behalf.

"No, but if he isn't awake by ten, I would like your assistance in waking him," Martha stated. 

"Fine," Jack agreed. It was only six in the morning now, which gave the Doctor another four hours to sleep. Together they turned away from the monitors going into the meeting room. The night had been slow but Jack still had several projects to pass out including another sighting of fish driving a sports car. The police thought the woman who reported it had been drunk but Jack knew better as he two had seen the aliens. They were going to have to contact the community to give them a warning about interacting with humans while not in disguise. Gwen could handle that though and Mickey could handle the one artifact that came through last night. Sending them out into the field, Jack remained behind with Martha and Ianto working quietly. 

By nine the Doctor was beginning to wake. It was subtle at first as he turned his head to the side rubbing his face on the mattress. He opened his eyes briefly lifting his head before letting it fall back to the mattress. He then rolled on his side as his eyes drifted closed once more. With him waking, Jack went up to the kitchen to make him a cup of tea. Martha retrieved her medical bag and together the two of them headed down to the cells. Jack unlocked the door, standing just outside of it as Martha went inside to greet the Doctor. 

"How are you feeling this morning?" Martha wondered. Her response was a brief roll of his eyes as he pulled himself to sit slumped against the cell wall. "I know it was a stupid question as you probably feel pretty lousy. I am going to run a brief examination just to make sure that nothing new is wrong. Then I have an injection I can give you to help you feel a little better before I remove the catheter. Finally, I think that Jack has a nice hot cup of tea for you that would go down nicely."

"Can I have the tea first?" the Doctor wondered. 

"Of course," Martha agreed. Jack stepped into the cell briefly to hand the Doctor his tea. The Doctor took it, taking a long drink. He couldn't help but hum his pleasure at the hot sweet liquid. It was exactly what he needed to wake up a little more even if his stomach tried to immediately reject the liquid. He gagged handing the tea back to Martha as he closed his eyes against the nausea. Martha reached out rubbing his arm softly. "Just breathe, Doc. I know the nausea isn't nice but don't worry it will pass." The Doctor nodded, immediately wishing he wouldn't have as he swallowed hard. He tried to breathe steadily until he felt his stomach relax and he was thankful that he had managed not to be sick. He reluctantly gave up on his tea as he leaned miserably against the wall. He felt too sick to care as Martha checked his eyes, ears, mouth, and throat. She felt the lymph nodes in his throat then pulled out her stethoscope to listen to his hearts. He didn't comment as he noticed her let the stethoscope drift a too low to be still listening for his hearts. She then had him lay back. She gently palpated his abdomen then warned him before pulling his trousers down to just below his groin. He gripped the blankets tightly as she carefully maneuvered the tube out of his body. The tube gone, she helped him fix his pants. He watched on as she reached into her bag pulling out a syringe and a small vial of medication. She filled the syringe.

"Sharp pinch," Martha warned him. He didn't react as she inserted the needle into the top of his bare thigh emptying the contents. She placed a plaster over the injection site then helped him to fix his trousers. "There now. Give the medication a little while to start working but it should help you to start feeling better soon. Now is there any questions you have before I leave you for a little while?"

"Martha, am I pregnant?" the Doctor asked her quietly. 

"When you first came here, I did find a viable fetus in your abdomen. I am not sure if it will make it through you withdrawing but if it does we can discuss your options at that time," Martha advised him. 

"There is nothing to discuss. I don't want it and even if you don't have access to the TARDIS there is still a pill I can take that will allow my body to expel the fetus," the Doctor informed her his voice never rising or showing any emotion despite his words. 

"That is one option, but if the fetus survives you detoxing there are other options that you can choose besides abortion," Martha answered him. 

"There is no other option. I am not going to raise the child and I can't give it up for adoption because even a half Time Lord child would be in danger in the wrong hands. I am not going to allow the child to suffer because I can't raise it. So, I would like the pill," the Doctor concluded. 

"What if there was another option? Like if me and Mickey or even Jack took your child in. Then you would know that your child was safe if you carried it to term," Martha tried. The Doctor looked at her curiously. His head was pounding and he still felt a little nauseous despite the medicine he had been given. All he wanted to do was to close his eyes and rest, not lay here arguing about a choice regarding his body that should be his alone. 

"Gallifreyans were a long-lived race and the baby would still be considered a child at the age of 90, long after you and Mickey had passed on. And Jack doesn't want my child. He has a life of his own and he doesn't need a baby weighing him down. Besides even if the fetus survives the initial detox, there is no guarantee that it will be able to be carried until it is full term. Then there is a lifetime of problems that come from being exposed to drugs in the womb. The best thing for everyone is to end the pregnancy now so that the child doesn't have to suffer," the Doctor stated. 

"I will get you the pill," Jack finally spoke up from the door. Even if he understood the Doctor's reasoning, it still hurt him to know that the Doctor wasn't going to carry the child to term. Still, the Doctor was right and it was his choice. Going up to the autopsy room, he got into the medicine cabinet. He found a small bottle of pills pulling one of them out. He got a small cup of water and took the two of them back to the Doctor. He tried to keep his face blank as he handed the Doctor the pill and the water. The Doctor though looked at him curiously as he accepted them. He didn't hesitate as he put the pill in his mouth swallowing it with a sip of water. 

"We will be back later to check on you," Martha advised him as Jack turned walking quickly out of the cell. The Doctor watched them go waiting until the door was closed and locked. Alone in his cell again, he set the cup of water next to his tea. Going to the toilet, he made sure that his back was to the camera as he pulled himself out to relieve himself. As he did, he maneuvered the pill from out of between his fingers where he had hidden it. Something in Jack's eyes had stopped him from taking it, but he was angry at the Captain and wanted him to hurt as well. He dropped the pill into the toilet and flushed it down. Not looking at the camera, he returned to his bed, once more curling onto his side as he tried not to think about his decision.


	20. Chapter 20

-The Present-

Jack shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He had to stop letting his mind wander but he couldn't help it as he watched the Doctor interact with his little girl. There had been a time when Jack thought he had lost the chance to watch her grow. When he had been so angry at the Doctor for making the choice to take the pill, even if it had seemed like the right choice at the time. His heart had been broken as he thought that he would never hold her in his arms. Now, he was raising the little girl who had stolen his heart from the first time he saw her even if she didn't call him daddy. 

"Are you coming home?" Emily asked the Doctor. The Doctor didn't answer right away as he looked questioningly at Jack. Jack nodded briefly and the Doctor smiled. 

"Of course I am," the Doctor told her. Emily smiled broadly as she continued to hold him close, laying her head on his shoulder. 

"Why don't you clean up your coloring things while I talk to my team?" Jack suggested. 

"I'll help you." The Doctor carried Emily over to the couch while Jack approached Gwen and Martha. He passed back over control of the hub to Gwen and gave Martha a brief summary of why he had stayed home today. He knew that the Doctor could hear their conversation but he didn't care. He wanted the Time Lord to know how much he had upset his daughter and why Jack was determined not to let it happen again. He glanced over as he spoke and could tell the Doctor was pretending not to listen as he helped Emily put her crayons back in the box. She closed her coloring book and placed it on the small shelf near the sofa. It held a few random toys that she played with she came to the hub otherwise he kept nothing for her there as he tried to keep her safe. 

"Are you ready to go?" Jack asked as he broke away from the two women. 

"Yeah," the Doctor stated. Emily held her arms up to him and he scooped her up again carrying her towards the hub door. Jack followed behind them as the Doctor made his way out to Jack's usual parking spot. The Doctor didn't even try to take the TARDIS with him as he knew that Jack didn't want the little girl to travel with him yet out of fear. Not only of the dangers that were out there but due to the fact he thought that the Doctor would disappear with her. So he buckled her into her car seat without an argument then climbed into the passenger seat. Jack drove as the Doctor stared out at the familiar city. Thanks to Jack, he knew these roads. Had traveled between them often over the years with Jack or just walked them on his own. He could easily make his way back to Torchwood later tonight if he wanted to leave but for now, he would spend time with his small family. 

They pulled up to the house that Jack and Emily called home. It wasn't a large home but did have several bedrooms as well as a separate garage that wasn't attached. The house itself was a light brown color and had a large garden for Emily to play in. It was a comfortable home that Jack had specifically chosen for her to grow up in and if necessary allow his family to expand in. So far, though, it was just the two of them living there. Emily was good and waited until the SUV was turned off before unbuckling. The Doctor got out then let his daughter out. She jumped down immediately asking to be picked up again and once more showing her insecurity due to the Time Lord's disappearance. Jack didn't comment as he went up to the door unlocking it and letting the three of them into the house. 

"I'll start supper," Jack informed the Doctor as he threw his keys on the table and took his coat off hanging it on the hook. He didn't look at the Doctor as he started to the kitchen. The Doctor didn't offer to help him as it was clear Jack didn't want his company. The immortal had said nothing to him in the SUV and his statements were straight forward showing his anger. 

"Can we have pastries?" Emily asked hopefully. 

"Not for supper," Jack answered without looking back. 

The Doctor took off his and Emily's coat then took her into the living room. He sat down on the sofa with her facing him and she smiled up at him. Her blue eyes were shining and he pushed back a piece of her almost white hair. He could see a little of himself in her but most of her features came from the man who sired her. The man that he didn't remember nor think he could ever find again. Her DNA though told him that she was part of a nordic race of aliens that had triple helix DNA. He wasn't sure if that was done on purposely by the Master to make him suffer the humiliation and pain of abortion again or if the Master just didn't care enough to check if the Doctor could have gotten pregnant from the men he chose. A shudder went through him as he pushed back the thought of all the times he woke up in the hotel with his body sore and unsure of who had used him that night. 

"Are you cold, daddy?" Emily asked him in concern. 

"No, baby," the Doctor replied softly. He wanted more than anything to break his promise right then and run as fast as he could to the TARDIS. Instead, he cuddled her a little closer as he turned on the telly. He wasn't surprised when he found out that Tangled was in the DVD player. It was her favorite movie and he started it for her just wanting something to focus his mind on as he waited for Jack to finish their supper.


	21. Chapter 21

The Doctor was still cuddling with Emily when Jack finished making their supper. He made a thick stew with potatoes, carrots, and lamb as the main meat. He could have left it alone to reduce while sitting with the Doctor and Emily in the living but truthfully he didn't want to. He didn't want to sit with the Time Lord and hear him make promises to the little girl that he would never keep. He was bound to run away and break the child's heart because that was who he was. He was the lonely god and it was his own damn fault this time. He could have had a life and a family with Jack and Emily but instead, he chose to chase a man who should have been dead. Getting into the cupboard, Jack pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He poured two large glasses taking one of them out to the living room. He set it down on the table in front of the Doctor not saying a word as he turned to head back into the kitchen. 

"Can I have some?" Emily asked. 

"Not of your daddy's drink but I can get you a cup of juice," Jack informed her. 

"I want apple juice," Emily stated. 

"We don't have any. How about a glass of orange juice instead?" Jack offered. 

"I want apple," Emily demanded. 

"Is that how we ask for things?" Jack questioned her calmly. Emily took a deep breath huffing at him rather than answering. "Do you need a moment in your chair to think about the correct way to behave?" 

"No," Emily responded with a snip in her tone.

"Come on," Jack told her. He lifted her off the Doctor's lap and she burst into tears. Jack didn't give in to her tears as he sat her down in a small wooden chair. She continued to cry but she didn't try to stand as Jack took a seat next to her. "I know you want apple juice but we don't currently have any. Maybe later, if you are good, we can go to the store to get some but crying and demanding apple juice isn't going to get you any. You can have orange juice or water after you finish calming down but being snippy isn't going to get you what you want from either me or your daddy. Do you understand?" 

"Yes," Emily sobbed. Jack waited quietly for two minutes until her punishment was over. He then took her into his arms hugging her tightly. 

"I love you and I know things have been confusing but your daddy and I are both here now. So have a cuddle with your daddy while I finish making supper then later we can read a story together before bedtime," Jack told her. He kissed her on the side of the head as she clung to him still sobbing softly. He rocked her softly in his arms kissing her one more time before going over to where the Doctor was still sitting. The Time Lord held out his arms for his little girl as Jack approached and she willingly went to him. He wrapped her tightly in his arms and she clung to him. Her movie was still playing but she ignored it for now as she looked for sympathy from her daddy.

"Would you like a cup of orange juice?" the Doctor asked her softly. 

"Yeah," Emily answered her voice almost a whisper. 

Jack went to the kitchen and got her juice. He gave it to her before going back to the kitchen. He stirred the stew and then just to avoid talking to the Doctor he continued to stir it slowly. When their supper was finished he dished it into three bowls and taking it out to the living room. The whiskey followed freely and they finished off one bottle and started on a second. Yet, they ate their meals in silence as they finished watching Tangled then watched the Lion King followed by Meet the Robinsons. By the time the last movie was over Emily was practically asleep in the Doctor's arms. He wasn't there normally, though, so she still went willingly to Jack to help her get ready for bed. Jack took her upstairs changing her into her pajamas and telling her a story as they cuddled. Once she was asleep Jack thought of going to his own room but instead forced himself to head back down the stairs to where the Doctor was waiting. Only the new bottle of whiskey that was sitting by his full cup gave any indication that he had moved at all. 

The Doctor stared down at the ground. This is why he didn't like coming here. It wasn't that he didn't want to see the daughter that he didn't want but continued to carry anyway. He hadn't planned to be a part of her life only he didn't seem to be able to stay away. He cared deeply for her, hopefully even loved her even if he was never sure. He still told her he loved her and would never let her know the doubt he felt. It was Jack who made him feel as if he wanted to run away and never come back. Jack who made him feel guilty for not seeing his daughter then made him feel as if he was intruding in their lives. Yet, Jack could still make him feel loved and wanted even if he felt as Jack hated him at the same time. The feelings confused him, making his head hurt even as he drank the alcohol to try to drown the pain. 

"She's asleep," Jack informed the Doctor. He flopped down in his chair picking up the bottle of whiskey in the process. He took a large drink of it as the Doctor continued to stare down. He wanted to tell Jack that it would be better if he just left. If he went back to Torchwood got on his TARDIS and allowed Jack to take his daughter from him. He already had allowed Jack to raise her, giving her the life he never could he didn't think it would be that hard to walk away forever. Only the thought of losing another child broke his hearts and he knew that if he did lose her he would end up regenerating from the pain. 

"Do you want to discuss the Master now?" the Doctor wondered softly. 

"I think we have both had way too much to drink to think about ruining the evening that way. What do you say we go upstairs to my room instead and I will drill you into the mattress before we go to sleep," Jack counter-offered. The Doctor nodded slowly. He finished off his cup of whiskey and then followed Jack up the stairs to his room. Jack brought the bottle of alcohol with him and he set it down on his nightstand as the Doctor crawled up on the bed. He took off his converse but otherwise remained fully dressed as he crawled beneath the blankets. Jack turned out the lights before joining him a moment later wearing his pajamas. He pulled the Doctor to him, cuddling him from behind as he unbuckled the Time Lord's belt and pulled his trousers and pants to just below his arse. The Doctor allowed himself to be rolled onto his stomach and Jack straddled him. Jack didn't bother to prep his body just added lube to his own member before slowly starting to push inside the Doctor. 

The Doctor gripped the pillow holding it tightly at the burning stretch. He didn't tell Jack to stop even as the pain overrode the pleasure for a brief moment. Then Jack was fully inside him, filling him and covering him with his body. Jack thrust softly as he helped the Doctor to remove his jacket and the Doctor unbuttoned and removed his overshirt. Jack leaned down kissing his neck and nipping his ear as their bodies moved as one. Tears sprung to the Doctor's eyes as he could once more feel the loving coldness Jack learned to show him. They could make love but always in a dark room and never face to face or completely naked. In the morning, their would be no acknowledgment of what happened as they once more went on living their separate lives. 

The Doctor grunted as his body moved along the bed providing a little friction alongside the feeling of Jack pushing against his prostate. He gripped the pillow tighter biting down on it as he felt himself fall over the edge spilling himself onto the mattress. Jack moved slowly as his body tensed then thrust faster and harder before filling the Doctor with his own release. He pulled out slowly then collapsed to his side of the bed breathing hard. The Doctor reached down, pulled up his trousers and slid the belt out throwing it on the ground where his jacket lay. 

"Night, Doc," Jack panted as he turned his back to the Time Lord. 

"Night," the Doctor whispered back. His body was sore from their joining but he felt as lonely as ever and he wanted more then anything for Jack to hold him as they drifted off to sleep. Instead, he curled into himself closing his eyes as he waited for morning to come.


	22. Chapter 22

-Four years prior-

For the next two weeks, Jack remained cold to the Doctor. Though he joined Martha every morning in the cell, he didn't say anything to him choosing to stand in the doorway while Martha checked on the Time Lord. The Doctor remained passive, the cravings for the drug remained but they were getting easier for him to handle. It was obvious that he was also slipping into a deep depression due to being stuck on Earth with no TARDIS and what he felt was no hope. Martha wanted to put him on anti-depressants but by doing so it would reveal that they did in fact have access to the TARDIS and it hadn't been taken by the Master as the Doctor currently thought. 

"You are doing well even if your vitals remain a little off. If nothing changes in the next week or so, I will have to take you up to the autopsy room to examine you further. In the meantime, continue to rest and I will be back this evening to check on you again," Martha told him. 

"Nothing to do but rest," the Doctor complained half-heartedly. Even if he was tired of resting there really was nothing he could do. He couldn't concentrate on books, there was no telly in the room, he had no sonic, bits of metal or anything else to do with his hands. He didn't even have a computer, tablet or a piece of paper to doodle or write on. They kept saying that he wasn't their prisoner but moments like this made him think otherwise. 

"I know but soon you will feel better and be back on your feet," Martha tried to reassure him. He rolled his eyes at her and she stood up picking up her doctor's bag in the process. She headed out of the door and Jack started to close it behind her.

"Jack," the Doctor spoke up before the door could close completely. 

"Yes, Doctor?" Jack wondered. 

"Can I please have a shower?" Jack sighed as he looked at his watch acting as if it were an inconvenience to him to take the Doctor up to the shower. In reality, he had nothing to do at the moment. His team had already been briefed for the day and the rift was quiet. Even the weevils had stopped acting up for the moment so unless there was suddenly an alien attack, Jack was free for the day. A part of him hoped silently for the alien attack as he forced a smile on to his face. 

"Martha are you able to take him to the shower?" Jack questioned. 

"I can wait," the Doctor whispered as he laid back down. He turned his back to them facing the wall. With the Doctor's back turned, Martha glared at Jack. Over the last two weeks, the Doctor had been forced to stay in the cell full time due to Jack's anger. While he had bathed, it had been in a bucket of water just washing his skin with a damp cloth. 

*Take him to the shower,* Martha mouthed at Jack. Jack shook his head no. 

*I'm busy,* Jack responded.

"Busy being an ass," Martha spoke out loud as she stormed off. Jack stood there a second with the door still open. He stared at the Time Lord curled up on his side. The depression he was feeling was clear to Jack but he couldn't bring himself to care as he closed the door locking it behind him. He went up the stairs finding Ianto and dragging him up to the greenhouse. He spent his day playing naked hide and seek while taking care of basic tasks around the hub. Anything to forget about the Time Lord down in the cells. The end of the day came too quickly, though, and sooner then he wanted he found himself alone in the hub again. He looked at the monitor to find that the Time Lord was still laying in the same position as he had been that morning. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Jack went up to the kitchen. He prepared a simple meal of sausage and eggs with toast and a cup of both coffee and tea. Grabbing a banana, he took the food to his office. From there he collected his chessboard before taking everything down to the cell. 

"Hungry?" Jack asked as he entered the room. 

"No," the Doctor answered softly without moving or looking up. 

"Well, I brought you something to eat as well as a cup of tea. I also brought my chessboard in case you wanted to play a game or two," Jack informed him. 

"Are you sure you want to play against me or did you want to go back to avoiding me and leave the board here so that I can play against myself?" the Doctor questioned him. 

"I haven't been avoiding you," Jack lied and the Doctor made a rude noise with his mouth to show how much he believed him. "I am sorry that I have been busy and unable to spend every minute down here holding your hand. I have a little bit of free time now, though, so I thought that we could play while we eat dinner. But if you would rather lay here, I will just go upstairs and watch a film while you sulk."

Jack stormed out of the cell leaving the food behind. He locked the door going up the stairs and over to the CCTV. Flopping down in the chair he stared at the screen. He felt so angry at the Time Lord and he didn't know how to get rid of that anger. He tried but it flared every time he looked at the man. He felt a mixture of the old pain from being left behind to the new anger over what the Doctor let happen to his body at the hands of the Master. He wanted to tell the Doctor how much he hated the fact that the Doctor thought that pill was a solution for the child he was carrying only he couldn't because he knew that if he started yelling, he wouldn't be able to stop himself. He would yell about everything that was bothering him and it wasn't fair to the Doctor to take all that anger out on him while the Doctor was trying so hard not to take his own pain out on everyone. Jack knew how hard it was to detox but he had been strangely quiet since his initial anger. 

Taking a deep breath, Jack stood going back down the stairs carrying a small table. He took it into the cell, putting it down near the bed. He left briefly to grab a chair and took that into the cell as well. He picked up the tray with the food distributing it between them before reaching for the chessboard. He set the game up, choosing to take the white pieces. He made the first move then looked at the Doctor. 

"It's your turn, Doc," Jack told him. The Doctor ignored him for a minute, then rolled over pulling himself to sit up. He barely looked at the chessboard as he moved a piece. Jack moved his next piece and the Doctor moved again seemingly randomly. 

"Checkmate," the Doctor spoke after a minimum amount of moves. He laid back down as Jack stared dumbfounded at the board. The Doctor wasn't even paying attention and he still beat him. He quickly got over the shock and reset the board. He turned it around so that the Doctor could go first. Picking up his fork he took a bite of his food as he waited for the Doctor to move. He took a drink of his coffee as it became clear that the Doctor wasn't going to move again. 

"You should drink your tea before it goes cold," Jack tried. The Doctor took a deep breath as he tried to decide if he cared. He was thirsty and he knew he should eat even if the smell of the food was making him nauseous. Still, he needed to eat not only for his own body but for the child that was growing inside of him. Despite the odds, the child had managed to hang on and he knew that the baby was still thriving. He worried about it as he wondered what were going to be the long term effects due to the drugs that had raced through his system, and the lack of nourishment he had allowed himself that last few weeks or by the Master for even longer. 

"Seven moves," the Doctor told Jack as he pulled himself to sit again. He picked up his tea taking a sip of the hot liquid. He made a face as he tasted next to no sugar in the cup. 

"You haven't even moved your pieces yet," Jack informed him. The Doctor lifted an eyebrow at Jack as he moved his first piece. Jack thought he had the Doctor when he took his queen early on but sure enough, he was in checkmate within seven moves. They played again and while they played the Doctor ate his toast ignoring the rest of the food. Seeing this, Jack ate the rest of the food as they made it through several games. When they were done eating, and the Doctor had beaten him yet again, Jack laid his king down in defeat. "Do you still want a shower?"

"Yes," the Doctor answered softly trying not to get his hopes up that Jack would let him out of the cell. 

"Come on." Jack got to his feet. The Doctor stood as well. He held his arms out for handcuffs but Jack ignored him as he turned his back as he led up him up the stairs and into the hub. He made sure the Doctor didn't touch any of the computers as he took the Doctor into the showers. The Doctor stripped out of his clothes stepping into the water. As he did, Jack noticed that the Doctor's abdomen was slightly bulged despite the fact that he had barely ate over the last couple of weeks. He opened his mouth to ask the Doctor about it but closed it again as he heard the water start. He waited while the Doctor showered, taking his time as he enjoyed the hot water against his body. He took as long as he could showering washing his hair and body thoroughly and making him feel more alive again. Finishing, he stepped out into the cool air of the hub. Even if the cold didn't normal affect him he still shuddered slightly at the difference in the air temperature. He also felt exposed by the fact that he didn't have a towel and Jack was staring at him. He moved a hand to cover his groin. 

"Can I have a towel?" the Doctor asked hopefully. 

"Are you still pregnant?" Jack wondered in return. The Doctor nodded. "But I saw you take the pill to end it."

"I never actually took the pill. I palmed it and then flushed it down the loo," the Doctor admitted. Jack saw another shudder go through the Doctor and he turned to get the Doctor a towel. He handed it to the Time Lord who took it gratefully. He dried his hair the best he could and then dried the water off the rest of his body. He reached for his clothes but Jack stopped him. Instead, he wrapped the towel around his waist holding it there as Jack took his arm forcing the Doctor to follow him down to the autopsy room. The Doctor didn't fight as he climbed up on the bed, laying back as Jack pulled the portable ultrasound over. Jack gave him no warning as he squirted the cool gel on his skin. He picked up the wand moving it to the spot where Martha had found the baby the last time. 

"Why did you lie to me?" Jack questioned him softly as he stared at the screen. The baby was thriving and had continued to grow despite the Doctor going through withdrawal. 

"I was angry and I wanted you to hurt as much as I was but I couldn't do it. I couldn't take the life of another innocent child even knowing that they may leave a difficult life thanks to the drugs I was taking," the Doctor answered. Jack looked at him but it was the Doctor's turn to stare down and refuse to meet his eyes. Jack set the wand down and wiped the gel off the Doctor's stomach as he spoke again. 

"So, have you decided what you are going to do once the baby is born?" The Doctor shook his head no. 

"It's not like I can leave the cell anyway," the Doctor grumbled. 

"You'll be able to leave permanently as soon as I know that you are no longer a danger to yourself or to my team. Until then, I am going to keep you in the cells where I can keep an eye on you," Jack replied. 

"How long is that?"

"That is up to you," Jack answered. He helped the Doctor up off the table and rather than taking him directly back to the cells took him to get dressed first. They didn't have his suit but an array of clothing that Ianto had bought for him. While the clothing would fit, it wasn't what he would choose for himself. Still, with the TARDIS gone he was going to have to get used to wearing clothes found on Earth again. Reluctantly, he picked out black pants and blue shirt to wear tomorrow. For now, he dressed in a pair of pajamas that were a light grey color. He dressed in them and then went with Jack back down to the cells. 

"Can I keep the chessboard?" the Doctor wondered. 

"For now," Jack agreed.

"Good night, Jack," the Doctor spoke as he took a seat at the table. 

"Night," Jack responded leaving him alone once more in the cells.


	23. Chapter 23

Jack kept one eye on the CCTV as he moved around the hub that night working. The Doctor sat for a couple of hours eating the banana slowly as he moved the pieces around the board. Even though he loved bananas, he only managed to eat about half it before nausea set in again causing him to put the rest aside. Jack went up to the kitchen looking through the cupboards for something that would be easy on his stomach. They were low on groceries and he didn't want to go out and leave the Doctor alone in the hub. Even if he was still angry at the Time Lord, he knew that he would never forgive himself if the Doctor had a medical emergency while he was trapped in the cells and no one was there to help him. He sent a quick message to Ianto to stop off at the store before work then went over to the toaster. He made the Doctor a few more pieces of toast and a cup of tea with three sugars taking it down to him. 

"I brought you more toast and tea," Jack announced through the glass door. The Doctor stared down at the chessboard ignoring him for a second before he plastered a small smile on his face. He stood going over to him as Jack moved the panel passing the items through. 

"Thank you," the Doctor told him overly politely. Jack narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the Doctor's sudden turn around from pouting to being polite. 

"What are you up to?" Jack asked. 

"Nothing," the Doctor answered going back to his seat. Jack didn't believe him but he couldn't prove the Doctor was lying as he headed up the stairs again. He went over to the CCTV pulling it up on a separate screen. He watched the film for the last few hours looking for anything suspicious. He didn't find anything except for the Doctor sitting at the table moving the chess pieces slowly around the board. It was possible that he was just trying to be compliant in order to get out of the cell but Jack couldn't be sure. He looked at the current feed finding the Doctor nibbling the toast as he stacked the chess pieces all on one side of the board. With a quick flip of his wrist, he knocked them all to the floor along with the board. The empty teacup smashed next followed by the rest of his toast. He then carefully tiptoed around the mess to lay on his bed leaving it all over the floor. Jack sighed. For the fourth time that night, he headed down to the Doctor's cell. 

"Are you planning on cleaning that up?" Jack questioned him. 

"No," the Doctor answered simply. 

"Well, I'm not doing it for you," Jack told him. 

"That's fine," the Doctor replied in the same tone. Irritated, Jack opened the cell door. He cleaned up the mess that the Doctor made and took it all out of the cell. He then removed the table and chair. The Doctor made no move to help him nor did he try to escape as Jack cleaned. Instead, he waited until Jack was finished cleaning and the door was closed again before acknowledging him again. "Can you turn out the light?"

"Of course. Sleep well, Doc." Jack made sure the light was off in the cells as he left the Doctor to sleep. The Doctor was still curled on his side sleeping peacefully by the time that others started arriving at the hub. Martha was first like normal with an unhappy Mickey at her side. Jack made his way over to her happy throwing his arms around her and hugging her tightly as he lifted her off her feet. Mickey grumbled about morning people and coffee as he made his way towards the break room not caring why Jack was so happy. 

"He's still pregnant, Martha. He decided not to take the pill after all and just made it look like he did," Jack announced as he spun her slightly. She didn't hug him back as she waited for him to set her down again. He tried to ignore the concerned look on her face as she analyzed him. "He needs to eat but he is still very nauseous and having trouble keeping food down so I sent a message to Ianto to bring in foods that are easy on his stomach."

"I know you really want him to carry this baby to term but he is still detoxing from severe drug addiction. His body is weak and he could lose the baby at any time, if he hasn't already," Martha explained calmly. 

"I didn't just take his word that he is still pregnant, Martha. I did an ultrasound last night after I figured it out. The baby is growing and while it seems a little smaller then I would expect, that could just be from genetics. I took a video of the ultrasound so that you can review it and draw your own conclusions," Jack answered. Martha nodded slowly. She knew Jack wasn't ignorant and wasn't sure why he was ignoring the fact that the baby didn't seem to be growing properly. She decided not to comment until she refused the footage for herself. Going over to the CCTV, she saw that the Doctor seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He was curled tightly into himself and she looked at the temperature in the cell. It wasn't cold by any means but he still seemed to need a blanket. 

"I am going to take a blanket down to him and then go to my office for a few hours to work on his file unless something else came up overnight," Martha informed Jack. 

"No, the rift is still quiet. We can use today to catch up on paperwork and other things that need to be done in the hub. Once Ianto gets here, I am going to help him put the groceries away then go up to my office to work for a few hours," Jack answered. 

"By work you really mean you plan on bending him over your desk," Mickey grumbled coming back into the room with his coffee in hand. 

"You're welcome to join us," Jack offered. 

"Maybe another time," Mickey responded. 

"I'll hold you to that," Jack flirted with a wink. Mickey rolled his eyes making his way over to his desk. Martha chuckled going behind him and giving him a quick kiss on the head before making her way to the autopsy room. She took a blanket out of the cupboard taking it down to the sleeping Time Lord. She knew Jack was watching from above as she let herself into the cell making her way quietly over to the sleeping man. She was gentle as she covered him up to his shoulders. He sighed in his sleep snuggling under the blanket. Leaning down she lowered her voice so that Jack couldn't hear her as she spoke. 

"He loves you and it is going to break his heart if you lose this baby. I will do everything possible to help you keep it if that is what you want, but you have to fight as well, Doctor," Martha breathed. 

"I'm trying," the Doctor whispered without opening his eyes. 

"So we can have an actual conversation later when you are awake?" Martha wondered. 

"Maybe if you let me sleep," the Doctor answered cheekily. He opened one eye to look at Martha as he let a small smile cross his face. Martha smiled back standing as he buried his head beneath the blanket. Things seemed to be changing for the better around the hub and she hoped silently that it would continue as she made her way up the stairs to review his ultrasound.


	24. Chapter 24

-The Present-

"Uncle Jack." Jack scrunched his nose at the nose as he thought to ignore it. He had been sleeping soundly when the small voice permeated his dream. In his dream, he had been running with the Doctor and Rose as they tried to defeat zombies on the Gamestation. It was combining two different events but that didn't matter because in his dreams he was happy. The three of them were against the universe but together they could have won. "Uncle Jack." 

He opened his eyes a crack to see Emily standing in front of him. He glanced at the clock unhappy to see that it was only about three in the morning. He thought a moment about pulling her up into bed with him for a little while to cuddle while they slept but decided against it. Instead, he forced his eyes open further as he looked at her. 

"It's too early to get up, sweetheart. Why don't you go crawl back into bed and try to go to sleep again?" Jack suggested to her.

"I can't," Emily replied. 

"Why not?" Jack wondered.

"I wet my bed," she responded. Jack tried not to sigh as he realized he had no choice but to forfeit the warmth of the blankets. He took her hand as he walked her back to her room. Switching on the small light beside her bed, he saw the blankets were off to the side and a large puddle was in the middle. Jack helped her to change into clean clothing then got started on the bed. He pulled the sheet off followed by the absorbent pad he kept underneath. He put them in a pile to the side before going to the linen closet and retrieving fresh blankets. He put a new pad on the bed and covered it with a fresh sheet. Emily helped him take the dirty laundry down to the washer, and add the soap. She then pressed the button starting the wash cycle. With the laundry started, the two of them went back to her room. Jack lifted her to set her back on her bed but she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Can I have a story?" She asked softly. 

"You already had your story," Jack answered. 

"Can I have another one," Emily immediately wondered not deterred by his answer. 

"One more." Jack gave in. He carried Emily over to her rocking chair taking a seat. He cuddled her as he rocked her slowly and started to tell her a story based on his dreams. He was barely into the story, though, before she was sleeping soundly once more in his arms. He rocked her for a few more minutes just enjoying holding her as he waited to make sure she was sleeping soundly. Then carefully, he stood taking her over to her bed. He tucked her back beneath her blankets, dropping a soft kiss on the top of her head. Turning off the light, he made his way out of her room closing the door tightly behind her. Entering his own room, he saw that the Doctor was now awake. He was sitting partly up in the bed leaning against his pillow. 

"Emily had an accident but I changed her bed and she is sleeping soundly again," Jack explained as he made his way back to his side of the bed. He climbed underneath the blankets getting ready to settle down and hopefully get a few more hours of sleep before he had to get up again. 

"Have I ever thanked you for taking such good care of her?" The Doctor wondered softly. 

"You don't have to thank me for taking care of my daughter as we both know the only reason I am just her uncle Jack is because you wouldn't let me be her papa," Jack snipped angrily. The Doctor turned his head to look at Jack, his eyes unreadable in the dark room. He stared at him for a second before throwing the blankets back and standing. He didn't say anything as he picked up his jacket and overshirt pulling them on. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my TARDIS because it is obvious you don't want me here," the Doctor answered softly as he started on the many buttons.

"Of course we want you here. Don't act like," Jack started. 

"Then could you at least pretend for just a moment that you were actually happy to see me," the Doctor interrupted his voice barely above a whisper. Jack's mouth snapped shut as it was his turn to stare at the Time Lord. He wanted to argue that he had been happy to see the Doctor but they both knew it wasn't true. Since his arrival several hours before he had yelled at him, ignored him, and then had shown him affection but didn't care whether or not he found enjoyment in the act as he used his body for his own release. 

"Sit," Jack told him his voice soft. The Doctor didn't move as he continued to stand in one place. Jack took a deep breath. "Believe it or not, I am happy to see you, Doc. Emily has been devastated for the last couple of days because you hadn't returned and she is too little to understand why you stay away. I am angry at you for hurting her and leaving in the middle of the night without even telling her goodbye is just going to hurt her more."

"I don't want to hurt her," the Doctor whispered.

"I know. The problem is that you and I have gotten too good at hurting each other over the years. Somewhere along the line, our friendship would have ended. We're like an old married couple now who just keep trying to make it work due to the daughter we share when we should have just gone our separate ways," Jack admitted. He hadn't really thought about the words before he said them but as soon as they were out of his mouth he knew they were true. "I miss being your friend, Doc and I want to fix this if you do."

"How can we?" the Doctor asked. He wasn't saying much and his voice was so soft that Jack couldn't hear the emotion behind his words. Still, he knew that the Time Lord was hurting and probably needed to be held. the only problem was that Jack didn't feel like offering him that comfort. 

"Tomorrow, you and I are going to sit down and discuss the location of the Master and how to take him down. Once the Master is dead, you are going to have to make a decision. You can run like you have done your whole life or for once you can stay. You can stay here with me and Emily and try to build a life with us while rekindling the friendship the two of us once shared. That includes swim practice and dance recitals as well as lunch with friends. Everything that it means to be a human living on Earth. Or you can run again. You can leave it all behind and we will move on without you. It's your choice what you want to do but I meant what I said yesterday that if you hurt that sweet little girl again, I will leave with her and build a life somewhere else without you," Jack informed him. He had made a life here on Earth with his coworkers, friends, and his children. He wasn't willing to give it all up to hide with Emily but he would make it harder for the Doctor to locate them. 

"Would I have to give up the TARDIS?" the Doctor questioned as he thought about what Jack said. 

"I would never make you give up your home. We could still travel as a family to safe locations and show Emily the universe. Hell, if you wanted to we could even have Martha babysit while you and I ran for our lives. We would just have to return home at the end of the trip rather than continuing to run," Jack explained. The room was quiet as the Doctor stood in one place still thinking about Jack's words. He felt the need to run but the thought of never seeing his daughter again made his hearts' ache. 

"I want to stay," the Doctor answered finally. 

"Then come back to bed," Jack told him. The Doctor listened as he took off his jacket and shirt again. He climbed back beneath the blankets lying stiffly on his own side of the bed. Jack laid down, wrapping his arm over the Doctor holding him from behind. Both of them were still hurting but the Doctor had returned to bed and at least that was a start.


	25. Chapter 25

Jack woke with a soft groan. He didn't think that he would be able to sleep again after his argument with the Time Lord yet now he rolled over, stretching as he tried to decide if he wanted to wake up. He opened his eyes a crack, not surprised when he didn't see the Doctor sleeping in the bed next to him right away. Moving the blankets slightly, he found the Doctor sleeping flat on his stomach with his body completely buried. He snuffled as the cooler air of the room hit his face and he tried to bury his face again. Jack moved the blankets allowing him to hide as he pulled himself out of bed. Going down the stairs, he pulled out his phone as he headed into the kitchen. He called into work letting them know that he would be working from home that day but was available to come in if they needed him. 

"Is everything alright?" Gwen asked in concern as it was unusual for him to miss days of work unless Emily needed him. 

"Everything is fine. I just need to talk to the Doctor so I figured we could spend the day together as a family rather than dragging him into Torchwood where he could get distracted by the vault or rift manipulator," Jack explained as he started his coffee. He told Gwen that he would look into the morning tasks and email her the information she needed for the meeting before releasing the call. He waited until the coffee was ready before disappearing into his office to read the rift information. The rift had spit out an artifact during the night but it would be an easy retrieval that Mickey could take care of. There was also a strange death that Gwen would need to look into but nothing that would require his help. He forwarded the information to Gwen then began to work on signing off the other's reports and making sure that the budget that was planned the day before was signed off on by Torchwood 2. 

"Uncle Jack," Emily whined sleepily as she entered his office. He turned his chair holding out his arms to her and she came over to him. He picked her up cuddling her as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. "No daycare?"

"No, I thought we would play hooky again today so that you could spend time with your daddy and then he and I could talk," Jack explained. 

"Daddy's still here?" Emily asked perking up slightly. Jack added the fact that she thought her daddy had left during the night and was fine with it, to his list of reasons to be mad at the Time Lord. He allowed himself to feel the anger for a moment before pushing it aside with a deep breath. They were trying, he reminded himself and starting off his morning angry at the man wasn't going to help anything. 

"He is," Jack answered simply. 

"Can I wake him?" Emily wondered. 

"Not yet. First, we are going to dress. Then you and I are going to go to the store. After, if he is still asleep, you can wake him while I make breakfast," Jack explained. 

"Can we have pastries again?" Emily questioned. 

"Not today," Jack chuckled as he stood lifting her in his arms. They went up the stairs and Emily dressed in a purple shirt with jeans and red sneakers. She put on a blue coat causing Jack to shake his head. With her dressed, Jack took her hand leading her down the stairs. They were quiet as they left the house and drove to the store. Once there, Jack was as quick as possible while shopping as he didn't want the Doctor to leave while they were gone and Emily to go upstairs and wake an empty bed. He bought everything they needed for breakfast and supper that night as well as a large number of bananas. Paying for everything, he took Emily back to the house. She helped him carry in one of the smaller bags taking them to the kitchen. 

"Can I wake daddy now?" Emily asked eagerly. 

"Go," Jack told her. He smiled as he watched her run eagerly out of the kitchen.

-DW-

The Doctor woke as he heard the door to the house close. He wasn't quite ready to wake up so he lay drifting in the warmth of the blankets. He was comfortable and even though he could smell Jack in the bed his mind still drifted back to the time that he spent with the Master in the hotel room. They had laid comfortably in the bed with the Master running his fingers along the Doctor's spine. He dipped his fingers lower pushing them between the Doctor's arse running them along the puckered skin. 

"Do you know how many men have been inside this body, Doctor? Because I do," the Master taunted him softly. He pressed a finger up into his body letting the Doctor feel him but not seeking his prostate. "The others would be ashamed to find out how easily you spread your legs."

"It's because you keep drugging me with an aphrodisiac," the Doctor answered sleepily. 

"You don't have one in your system now yet still you open easily for me," the Master reminded him as he added a second finger. The Doctor rolled his eyes. There was no point in arguing with the Master because he knew if the Master asked him to he would bend over the bed right now and let the Master take him. He tried to figure out why but his head felt heavy and a thick fog hid the answers from him. The fingers were removed as the Master rolled over picking up a needle from the bedside table. He made sure any bubbles were out of it then rolled back over pressing the needle into the crook of the Doctor's elbow without warning. The Doctor whimpered as the liquid was injected and the fog in his mind became even thicker. He didn't fight as the Master pulled his arms towards the edge of the bed, attaching his wrists to the cuffs he refused to use when clear-minded. The last thing he remembered was the Master pushing painfully up into his body as he gave in the oblivion that the drugs brought.

The Doctor woke to the sound of the door closing again. He was slightly confused about why they were home when Jack should have been at work and Emily at daycare. Yet, he could hear them both downstairs talking, even if he couldn't understand their words. Less then a minute later, the sound of small feet stomping up the stairs. She threw Jack's bedroom door open letting it hit the wall as she ran eagerly over to the bed. 

"Daddy," Emily whispered loudly. She pulled on the blankets and he let her uncover his head as he left his eyes closed. She climbed up on the bed bouncing happily. He felt small fingers on his eye trying to pry it open as she leaned in close. "Daddy, it's time to wake up."

"Five more minutes," he told her. 

"No more minutes. Uncle Jack is making breakfast," Emily informed him happily as she continued to bounce on the bed. "Then you two need to talk."

"Doesn't Uncle Jack need to work," the Doctor asked with a slight groan as he opened his eyes.

"Uncle Jack says we are playing hockey again today," Emily informed him. The Doctor wrinkled his brow in confusion. 

"Do you mean hooky?" the Doctor asked and Emily shrugged. 

"Get up," Emily told him again tugging on his arm. 

"Tell Uncle Jack I am going to take a shower and then I will be down," the Doctor informed her. She nodded eagerly as she jumped off the bed. She stumbled a few steps but caught herself as she ran out the door. Rather than scold her, the Doctor just shook his head as he pulled himself out of the warm bed and headed towards the shower.


	26. Chapter 26

The Doctor went into the bath closing the door behind him. He didn't bother to lock the door as Jack made it clear long ago that he had a key to the door and would enter as he pleased or deemed necessary. Going to the medicine cabinet, the Doctor opened it. The top shelf was clearly marked with a piece of red tape and on it were medications that he could safely take. He took a couple of pills to help with the soreness in his body then climbed into the shower. Even if Jack seemed angry at him, his favored earth soap was still sitting in its place along with his shampoo. He was also positive that if he opened the cupboard there would be a fresh bottle just waiting for its turn to be used. He also had razors in the cabinet as well as shaving cream. Going into the shower he turned on the water. He got it to the correct temperature before staring down to watch the water disappear. 

In the comfort of the water, he allowed his argument last night with Jack to replay over in his head. It wasn't the first time Jack had yelled at him for not allowing to be more to Emily than her Uncle Jack. It wasn't fair to Jack as he cared for Emily and perhaps even loved her more than the Doctor did. It was only due to his own selfishness that he had refused to let Jack take the title of Papa even if he filled that role. Maybe it was time for the Doctor to change that. His mind made up, he finished his shower. He skipped shaving, for now, instead dressing in a new suit before making his way down the stairs. 

"Three bananas is enough," he heard Jack say as he grew closer to the kitchen. 

"Four," Emily argued. 

"They won't turn out right if we add four. Just add three and we can put extra on top," Jack insisted. 

"Okay," Emily sighed elaborately causing the Doctor to chuckle. He walked into the kitchen to see her standing on a stool. She had a banana in her hand and was adding it to a bowl containing eggs and sugar while Jack measured flour and other dry ingredients into a separate bowl. 

"What are you making?" The Doctor wondered announcing his presence. 

"Banana scones," Emily answered happily. 

"It's a new recipe that Francine came up with because the last time we tried to make them they were too watery," Jack explained. Emily nodded taking a bite of the banana before dropping the rest of the piece in the bowl. "Emily, don't be gross. Others are going to be eating those as well."

"Sorry," Emily apologized picking up the piece with her fingers and shoving it in her mouth. 

"Will you please check on the dutch baby in the oven?" Jack asked him. The Doctor nodded going over to the oven. He turned on the light looking in to see that it had risen in the pain and was brown. He opened it taking it out. 

"Do you want the oven left on?" the Doctor asked. 

"Please," Jack answered. He added the dry ingredients to the wet and stirred it. The Doctor got the pasty out of the pan cutting it into pieces and plating it. He added the berries that Jack had prepared to all three of them then took them to the table. Emily hopped down off the stool joining the Doctor at the table while Jack finished making the scones and put them in the oven before joining them. He brought over a cup of tea for the Doctor handing it to him then took a seat at his place. The Doctor took a drink of the tea a small smile crossing his face as he found it perfectly made. 

"Can we go to the park?" Emily asked breaking the silence. 

"What did I tell you needed to happen first?" Jack wondered. 

"You and daddy needed to talk," Emily answered unhappily. "Can I play outside?"

"You need to finish your meal first," Jack responded seeing that she had eaten less than half of her portion of food. She had just mainly picked at the berries ignoring the pastry part of the meal. 

"I'm done," Emily told him.

"Nothing until lunch," Jack informed her. 

"Okay," Emily responded. She climbed quickly down off of her chair running to the back door and opening it. She ran out into the garden to play as the Doctor watched on. She ran over to the swing that was attached to the tree climbing up on it. The Doctor watched as she didn't need Jack or him to push her but was able to swing by herself. Something that Jack would have taught her as the Doctor never seemed to be around during those moments. He couldn't remember anything that he was actually there for. 

"I made a mistake," The Doctor told him. 

"Oh?" Jack was surprised to hear him say it as it wasn't often that the Doctor admitted that he made a mistake. Usually, he blamed everyone and everything but himself. 

"Three years ago when I made you call Emily your niece. That was wrong of me and if you want to be her Papa, I won't stop you," the Doctor informed him. Jack took a long drink of his coffee as he stared at the Doctor. Over the last almost four years, the Doctor had been adamant that he was her daddy. Now he was changing his mind and that worried Jack. Even if he said that he would take Emily and keep her from the Doctor, he really didn't want to. He wanted to have her grow up knowing who her father was. Still, he wanted more than anything to have that sweet little girl call him papa but not at the expense of her losing her daddy. 

"I would love to be her papa, but I have to ask why now. Why now after you have made it clear that you didn't want me to be anything but her Uncle. I hope it isn't because you are planning on leaving permanently because none of us want that. We want you here living with us and watching her grow," Jack told him. 

"Because you were right. You have been more of a father to her then I have," the Doctor whispered. He still didn't look at Jack as he continued to stare at his daughter. 

"I was angry," Jack started. 

"You were right. I have hurt her and you. It's time I tried to fix that," the Doctor interrupted. He picked up his tea drinking the last of it. He turned his eyes away from Emily finally looking Jack in the eyes. He could see that Jack was contemplating his words as he stared at the Doctor with concern. The Doctor smiled half-heartedly at him. Jack smiled back. Standing up he went around the table taking the Doctor by the arm and gently pulling him to his feet. The Doctor looked confused until Jack wrapped his arms tightly around the Doctor hugging him tightly. 

"Thank you." The Doctor heard the tears in Jack's voice and let him hide his face as he hugged him back. They held each other for a long moment before Jack started to clean the plates. As he did the Doctor began to speak. The Master was hiding on a small planet in the far future. He wasn't sure what he was doing there as he had seemed to be living among the people peacefully but the Doctor was clear that he was up to something and it was only a matter of time before those people were in danger if they weren't all ready. The problem now is that they needed help but they wouldn't be able to use the contacts that Jack had on Earth and were going to have to rely on the Doctors. 

"When do you want to start planning?" Jack wondered. 

"Tomorrow. Today I want to spend time with my family," the Doctor answered. Jack smiled at that. 

"Tomorrow it is."


	27. Chapter 27

-Four years prior-

Things began to change over the next week after his confession that he was still pregnant. Jack visited him several times a day now, bringing food and expecting him to eat it regardless of how nauseous he was feeling. He also now had daily discussions with Martha regarding his mental state and what they could do to make sure that he carried the baby to term. He had several pills that he was supposed to take daily as well as examines lined up for every week until the baby was born. A part of him slightly regretted his decision to not take the pill but he ignored the feeling as he focused on giving the baby life so that he could get his life back. 

At the end of the week, he was taken down to the autopsy room for an examination. At Martha's insisting, he was left alone with her so that she could provide him with privacy while she ran her tests. Jack had reluctantly agreed. He promised that he would be upstairs waiting for her to finish before leaving the two of them alone. With only Martha in the room, the Doctor was tempted to run there was no point. His TARDIS was gone and the rest of the Torchwood team was upstairs. He couldn't get past them without a fight and in the end, Jack would just lock him in the cells again. 

Instead, he had no choice but to put up with the examination. He tried to be patient as she examined him starting at his head. She looked in his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose before feeling the nodes located in his neck. She listened to his hearts and lungs, checked his pulse and took his temperature. She then had him lay back so that she could perform an ultrasound on the baby. He huffed a little but didn't fight as he listened to her. She lifted his shirt before putting the gel on his stomach. She found the baby quickly and took her time taking measurements and comparing them to last week's ultrasound. 

"So, I am happy to report that the baby is still growing and moving even if it seems small for how far along you are. I will need to perform additional tests and measurements but before I do, I need to ask if you have given any more thought to my question?" Martha wondered as she helped him to wipe the gel off of his skin. 

"I have but I am sorry Martha, I still don't know who the sire of my child could possibly be. I looked at the measurements like you asked me to and many of them fit with a proper Gallifreyan, the ones that don't fit too many one-hearted species for me to be able to narrow it down without the help of my TARDIS," the Doctor apologized. 

"Could your baby be half-human?" Martha questioned. 

"Don't be disgusting," the Doctor answered immediately causing Martha to roll her eyes. "I have a triple helix DNA strand and only another species with the same kind of DNA would be able to reproduce with me. A human only has a double helix strand and if I did somehow to conceive, I would miscarry before anyone knew I was pregnant."

"Fair enough," Martha responded. 

"So are we done?" The Doctor wondered impatiently. 

"Not quite. Before you go, I would like to perform an internal ultrasound so that I can check the placenta for any problems due to the drug use," Martha informed the Doctor calmly. The Doctor groaned. He knew exactly what she wanted to do and he really didn't want to have anything pushed up into his body. Regardless of the reasons. Martha narrowed her eyes slightly at the sound before continuing to speak. "I know that it doesn't sound pleasant but it is necessary. It will also be necessary for me to examine you and check for dilation in the future. I understand that you are a very private person and I will do my best to respect that but there are certain aspects of that modesty that you will have to give up in order to deliver this child." 

"Fine," the Doctor huffed knowing she was right. While he had personally never carried a child to term, he had helped deliver several during his travels. He had been naked in front of her a few times since coming back and he would have to be again in order for her to deliver his own child. He also vaguely remembered the catheter that she placed as well as removed. At least she offered him a bit of privacy as she gave him a blanket to cover himself with before turning away. He was unhappy as he removed his pants and trousers setting them within easy reach before covering himself with the blanket. "You can turn back around."

"I will be as quick as possible with the ultrasound. I can't promise that it will be pleasant but it shouldn't hurt. Let me know if you feel any pain or anything else I should be worried about," Martha explained as she picked up the wand. The Doctor kept his head turned from her as she helped him to place his legs up into the stirrups so that she could sit in between them. She then picked up the wand. She made sure it was well lubed before moving the blankets enough to expose the Doctor's arse. The Doctor tensed gripping the bed tightly in his hands as she positioned the wand pushing it up into his body. "Breathe."

"I am breathing," the Doctor hissed through gritted teeth. Martha ignored the snippiness as she moved the wand further in. She adjusted it until she had a clear view of the placenta. She took measurements, happy with what she was seeing. She could see no reason why the Doctor wouldn't carry the baby to term as long as he didn't due anything stupid and with no TARDIS, she didn't have to worry about him running for his life or going somewhere dangerous because he was bored. 

"All done," Martha told him as she finally removed the wand. The Doctor wasted no time in putting his feet down and reaching for his clothes. He dressed quickly under the blanket before getting to his feet and running up the stairs. 

"How did it go?" Jack questioned as the Doctor came into the room. The look on the Doctor's face gave away nothing as he looked past Jack towards the hub door. "That good."

"Yeah," the Doctor answered vaguely. 

"Well, then if you two are done. Let's get you back to the cell so that you can have lunch," Jack suggested standing up. 

"Can I have a shower first," the Doctor wondered. 

"You just had one this morning," Jack told him calmly. 

"Please, Jack. I would really like another one," the Doctor begged. 

"All right," Jack gave in. He took the Doctor to the hub showers watching as the man stripped before disappearing into the stall. With him preoccupied for a moment, Jack went to Martha for an explanation about the Doctor's strange behaviour. He winced in sympathy as she explained about the internal ultrasound that she had to perform. It would have been uncomfortable for anyone but especially so for someone like the Doctor. Going back up the stairs, he waited for the Doctor to finish his shower knowing that he was scrubbing every inch of his body clean from Martha's touch. When the Doctor finally did emerge, about a half-hour later, Jack said nothing about the long shower. 

"How would you like chips for lunch," Jack offered. A small smile crept onto the Doctor's face. 

"Please," he agreed as chips sounded like the best thing in the universe at the moment. He wondered briefly if Jack would allow him to eat them with lemon. A scowl crossed his face at the realization that he was having a craving and he refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he held his head high as he allowed Jack to take him back down to his cell while he waited for Ianto to retrieve his lunch.


	28. Chapter 28

"Would you like to come upstairs for a while?" Jack questioned the Doctor later that night. The Doctor had been strangely quiet again since his appointment with Martha and Jack just wanted to cheer him up. Jack knew that he was uncomfortable with what Martha had done to his body and the thought that he was going to have to be spread open again in the future for examinations as well as giving birth. Then afterward to make sure that he was healing properly. It was an embarrassment that he hadn't thought about. It was enough that he was rethinking his decision to carry the baby to term. 

"Is Martha still here?" the Doctor asked softly.

"No, the rest of my team is gone for the night," Jack answered. The Doctor nodded slowly getting to his feet. Jack didn't move out of the doorway as he began to speak again. "I am not going to handcuff you but there are a few rules. You are not to go anywhere near the rift equipment or touch the computers. You also have to return to the cells when I tell you to or I won't let you out again except for appointments. Is that understood?" 

"Yes," the Doctor sighed. 

"I know you are unhappy with the rules, Doc, but it has to be this way until I can be sure that I can trust you," Jack told him. 

"I have no reason to sabotage your work or do anything to destroy your computers. Even if I did, where would I go afterward, Jack? My TARDIS is gone, the Master is gone, and I am stuck on this planet again. This time with no hope of getting off of it. I know I made mistakes with the Master but you don't have to talk to me like I am a child or the enemy when I am trying Jack. I haven't tried to escape from this cell even though your locks wouldn't stop me if I really wanted to leave. Instead, I have played by your rules and yet you still treat me like an enemy," the Doctor seethed saying more than he had in weeks at one time.

"I'm not treating you like you are the enemy," Jack stated. The Doctor made a rude noise with his mouth showing just how much he believed him. "I am sorry you think that way but I wasn't keeping you locked in these cells to be mean. I was doing it for everyone's protection while you withdrew from the drugs you were on."

"Please, you didn't even want anything to do with me until you found out I was keeping the baby," the Doctor spat. 

"I was angry at you for taking its life but I would have forgiven you regardless. Just like I have done every time in the past. You never even apologized for leaving me behind without an explanation. It would have made those first one hundred years a lot easier but no you just ran to explore the stars again with Rose without ever looking back but I was forced to move on. I built a life and had it ripped from my fingers time and time again while I waited for you to return. That is why I want to raise your child for you. I just want someone who is going to be around for more than a few years because God knows that you aren't going to stay. As soon as you have your TARDIS you will be gone again without a second thought to the fact that once more you left me behind," Jack yelled at him. 

"My TARDIS is gone Jack and unless the Master decides to come back to this primitive planet, I won't be getting her back. I thought maybe once you trusted me enough to let me out of the cells I could try to help you at Torchwood but it is apparent to me that you will never trust me enough. So you might as well just lock the cell door and leave," the Doctor seethed. He turned to head back to his bed but was stopped as Jack grabbed his arm. He spun the Doctor around slamming his back against the wall. The Doctor had no fear in his eyes as he stared at Jack with all the anger of the oncoming storm. They stared at each other. Neither one saying a word. Jack really wanted to hit something then go find Ianto and bend him over a desk. Ianto wasn't there though, so he did the one thing he thought he would never get the chance to do again and pressed his mouth to the Doctor's. There was slight surprise in the Doctor's eyes as Jack's lips met his but he didn't try to pull away. The kiss was anything but gentle as Jack's lips pressed roughly to his. The Doctor tried to reach up to take Jack's arm and Jack stopped him. He grabbed both of the Doctor's arms holding them tightly.

Breaking the kiss, Jack pulled back breathing heavily. He could feel his erection straining against his pants and a quick look down revealed the Doctor wasn't completely soft. It would be so easy for Jack to take him against the wall but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He refused to take advantage of the Time Lord when he couldn't be sure that the Doctor really wanted it or if it was the last of the drugs leaving his system that caused that reaction. Stepping back, Jack released the Doctor's arm. He then turned hurrying out of the cell. He didn't bother to lock the Doctor in as he ran up the stairs just needing to get away for a moment. He didn't stop running until he was standing in the middle of the Plas with the cold night air chilling his bare arms. Taking a deep breath, he stood there trying to calm down. He breathed heavily as he stared at the water just trying to let the sound of it breaking against the wall calm him. 

He had made a mistake tonight by kissing the Doctor but it wasn't one that he would let happen again. He would calm down then go back inside and face the consequences of the kiss if he had to but he was positive that the Doctor wouldn't bring it up. He would act like nothing happened as they spent the night together. He took one last deep breath as he realized he left the Doctor alone in the hub without anyone to stop him. He mentally prepared himself to find the Doctor causing trouble as he turned going back into the hub. Entering the rift room, he tried not to let his surprise show as he found the Doctor sitting on the sofa waiting for him. 

"Why don't you set up the chessboard while I get supper so we can play a few games while we eat," Jack suggested. The Doctor nodded going quiet again as he got once more to his feet. Jack didn't question the silence as they both had a lot to think about. He opened his mouth to apologize for kissing him but he closed it just as quickly because he wasn't sorry. At least not about the kiss and he wasn't going to be the first one to apologize this time. His mind made up, Jack turned heading up the stairs to start their meal.


	29. Chapter 29

It was another two days before Jack let the Doctor upstairs while his team was there. The Doctor smiled at them accepting a hug from Martha and nodding once at Mickey as he was saluted. He still wasn't allowed near the computers and he really didn't care as he followed Jack up to his office where Ianto was waiting for them. On the desk was a group of items that Ianto had brought up from the vault that the small team had been unable to identify. The Doctor's face lit up as he looked at the items. Immediately, he tried to reach into his pocket to pull out his thinking glasses and sonic. The smile fading as he realized that they weren't there. He took a deep breath and picked up the first item to examine. He immediately identified it as a piece from the machinery on Schwermetall. It was a future human colony that produced many types of goods that were used throughout the colonies. He relayed that it was useless on its own to Jack before moving onto the next item. 

Jack let him work until lunch as the Doctor looked at the items. He was able to easily identify all but three of them and those three he was positive he could figure out given more time. He protested lightly when Jack suggested he stop to eat but he really didn't feel like getting locked in the cell again. He was bored with the cell and welcomed the change of scenery even if it was only other parts of Torchwood. He only put on a show so that Jack wouldn't get suspicious that he was up to something. So, he hemmed and hawed making a point of ignoring Jack for just a moment before setting down the artifact and following Jack out of his office. To his relief, he was then taken to the kitchen where he was provided a large meal. He couldn't help but make a face at it as he never ate that much. 

"You need to gain a little bit of weight in order to keep you and the baby healthy," Jack explained to him. 

"No, ta," the Doctor answered absentmindedly. 

"If you won't do it for yourself then please do it for the baby that you are carrying," Jack told him. The Doctor sighed as he picked up one of the pieces of bread taking a bite. 

"Have you thought about what you are going to name it yet?" The Doctor wondered. 

"I am not completely sure for the little boy but I was considering the names David, William, or Matthew. If it is a girl her name will be Emily," Jack replied. It was what he had wanted to name his daughter but she had been named Melissa by her mother then had her name changed to Alice after being hidden from him. The only other daughter he had was named Hannah but she had barely lived a day before being taken from him. He had three sons who had lived but thought that their father had died at sea when they were teenagers and still too young to realize that their father didn't age. 

"Martha can find out the sex of the child in about a month with the technology that Torchwood has on hand," the Doctor informed him.

"You don't want to be surprised?" Jack teased him slightly. The Doctor just shrugged. 

"It doesn't matter to me what the sex of the baby is. You are going to be the one raising it and if you want to prepare prior to the baby's birth it is easier to know the sex. If not, you can wait," the Doctor told him. There was no emotion in his voice as he spoke of the child making it clear that he still didn't care about the child he was carrying. He looked up as a thought occurred to him. Looking around the kitchen it was clear to him that they were in an old sewer even if Jack had it fixed up. The kitchen may have had new cupboards, a new stove and a shiny metal sink but behind it was the grey brick walls. The lower level was even worse with the rift manipulator standing in water that anyone could access or a child could fall into. "You're not going to raise the baby here are you?"

"What's wrong with here?" Jack asked him seriously his face giving nothing away. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment but it was Jack who broke first. He laughed at the Doctor's expression as he spoke again. "No, I am not going to raise the baby here. I have a house not too far from here that I plan on setting up a room in. The two of us are going to move there here a few days as well to live while you finish recovering and we await the birth of the baby."

"I don't do domestic," the Doctor mumbled. 

"Well you don't have much of a choice," Jack responded loudly. The Doctor rolled his eyes knowing Jack was right but not answering him. He pushed away the rest of his meal, standing up. He had only eaten less than a third of it but he wasn't going to force himself to eat anymore when he wasn't hungry. Testing Jack's patience and his own luck, he left the kitchen heading down the stairs. He immediately wished he would have stayed with Jack when Martha came over to him ready for their afternoon talk. After, he would be with Jack again until supper then they would play chess, followed by a movie before he was locked in his cell for the rest of the night. His life had become a routine and if there was one thing he hated it was routines. It made him miss his life in the TARDIS where no one told him where to go or when. He was free to travel the stars and run for his life whenever and wherever he pleased. 

"I'm not in the mood, Martha," he informed her snidely. 

"Tough," Martha answered looping her arm around his and pulling him towards the autopsy room. The Doctor looked longingly towards the hub door as he was pulled. He wanted to run and hopefully, soon he would get his chance.


	30. Chapter 30

-Present Day-

The Doctor still remembered clearly the first time he saw this home. Even if Jack had chosen to live at the hub rather then in the house he owned, he still paid to have it kept up and ready for someone to move in. The garden had been well-tended and the home itself freshly painted. Back then the house had been immaculate with no dust or anything out of place. That quickly changed once the two of them moved in as neither one tended to put their work away. It continued after Emily's birth and even today there were toys out. The Doctor wouldn't say the house was messy, though, no far from it. It just had clutter that showed someone lived there and was no longer the display house it had been for many years. 

Leaving the kitchen, he went out into the large garden where Emily was playing. The grass needed to be cut and while Jack kept up with the inside, he paid to have someone tend to the gardens for him as he usually didn't have time with the hours he worked at Torchwood. The Doctor stood watching his daughter play on the swing until she noticed him. A large smile crossed her face upon seeing him and she stopped it with her feet before jumping down. 

"Catch me," Emily called running towards him in the garden. He bent down holding out his arms just in time for her to fling herself into them. He scooped her up throwing her in the air before catching her. She giggled as he did it again. "Higher, Daddy." The Doctor listened to the request throwing her slightly higher. She squealed with joy as he did it again before setting her down to play. Emily laughed running as he gave chase. He could have caught her easily but he gave her a chance to escape before grabbing her from behind and tickling her as she laughed and kicked. Emily, like her daddy, loved to run so they continued to run and play in the large garden until Jack came out to inform them it was almost lunchtime. 

"Can I have scrambled eggs?" Emily wondered. 

"Of course you can," Jack told her. 

"With a runny egg on top," Emily added. 

"You want a runny egg on top of your scrambled eggs?" Jack clarified and Emily nodded happily. 

"Yep," she answered. 

"Alright," Jack replied. He turned to go back into the house and Emily happily followed him. The Doctor joined them a moment later to see Emily mixing the eggs as Jack heated a pan on the stove. He made the scrambled eggs first placing them into a bowl. He tried to make an over-easy egg but popped the first yoke before he was able to get it out of the pan. He put it in a bowl for himself then cracked a second egg. The second egg broke on impact and ended up in his bowl as well. Finally, on the third egg, he managed not to break it. He put it on top of the scrambled eggs for Emily and she happily took her bowl to the table to eat. "What would you like, Doc?"

"I'll just have a banana for now," the Doctor answered. 

"Are you sure? We have some leftover chicken in the fridge that would make a good sandwich," Jack offered. 

"Alright," the Doctor agreed. He helped Jack to make several chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomato on them. They ate them at the table with a bag of crisps that Emily shared with them. She also stole several bites off of Jack's sandwich before declaring she was full. When the meal was done, Jack took her up to her room for her afternoon kip while Jack checked in on Torchwood's daily reports. The Doctor joined him, working on Jack's laptop as he looked at the new artifacts that came in while he was gone and helped to identify ones that Jack couldn't. It was harder over the computer as he couldn't look directly at it or feel it, he just had to go by a picture and a description. Still, Jack made sure to put as much information as possible and there was only one artifact he wanted a closer look at it before saying what it was. 

Once Emily was awake the focus turned to her again. They played simple games and watched the telly as they ate scones. The mood in the home was relaxed allowing them to enjoy their time together. For supper, Jack made pork with potatoes and carrots. The meat was tender and juicy and the Doctor had an extra piece. Emily had a small piece of meat but stuck to the potatoes and carrots. Then for dessert, they all had another scone. As the night wore on, Jack took Emily up to take a bath but allowed the Doctor to tell her a bedtime story before tucking her in for the night. The Doctor kissed her softly on the head, promising he would still be there in the morning as he left her to sleep. 

They stayed up for a little while longer. Jack cleaned up then they watched a movie together. No words were really shared between them now that Emily was asleep and the Doctor feared that they would go back to the anger of the night before. He really didn't want to go to sleep sore and alone again, only he didn't have the courage to voice that to Jack. He tried not to show Jack his reluctance as Jack turned off the television and the two of them headed up the stairs. While Jack was in the loo, the Doctor changed into his own jimjams climbing beneath the blankets. He turned on his side as he waited for Jack to join him. For Jack to take him without care before they both drifted off to sleep. The Doctor couldn't help but tense when Jack slipped beneath the blankets pushing his body close to the Doctor's in the darkroom.

"Are you alright?" Jack wondered feeling the tension. 

"Fine," The Doctor answered immediately. Jack tutted, knowing the Doctor was lying to him. He kissed the Doctor softly on the back of the neck wrapping his arm around him. The Doctor tried to relax as Jack kissed him again running his fingers along his sternum. The Doctor gave in to the gentle feeling. Once he was relaxed, Jack rolled him onto his back. He tried not to show his surprise as Jack straddled him leaning down to kiss him softly. It was clear that Jack was trying so he kissed him softly back enjoying the feeling of the Captain's lips against his. Not breaking their kiss, Jack helped the Doctor to remove his trousers before removing his own and leaving them naked from the waist down. He then reached down pulling the Doctor's leg up as he positioned himself between the Doctor's legs. 

The Doctor feared for a second that Jack was going to take him dry but even angry Jack had never on purposely hurt him. He felt the slickness of one lube covered finger pushing into him and stretching him slightly. He moaned his appreciation as Jack prepared his body with that single finger. The finger was removed quickly and Jack lubed up his cock before pushing it up into the Doctor's body. The Doctor panted, unable to hide his face as he was penetrated. Their joining was slow as Jack thrust into the Doctor's body. They kissed softly and the Doctor couldn't help his appreciative whimper as Jack's hand wrapped around his member moving in time to the thrusts. 

"Jack," the Doctor whispered as his body tensed as he fell over the edge. Jack followed him a moment later with a deep groan filling the Doctor with his own release. He pulled out slowly, collapsing to the side. The Doctor didn't have time to feel rejected before his arm was tugged gently. He rolled on to his side laying his head on Jack's chest. 

"Goodnight, Doc," Jack told him as he settled down to sleep.

"Goodnight," the Doctor sighed, his own eyes drifting closed. Even if it was just an attempt for the two of them to get along, the Doctor couldn't help but feel safe and warm as he followed Jack to sleep.


	31. Chapter 31

-Four years prior- 

"Can we talk?" Ianto wondered as he came into Jack's office at the end of the day. Jack wanted to tell him no. He wanted to tell him that there was no need for any discussion because he knew why Ianto was there. It had been a week since he moved the Doctor to his home and he could feel the young Welshman drifting away from him. They no longer made love all over the hub and Ianto had avoided speaking directly to him about anything than work. Jack told himself that Ianto just needed space and time even if he knew in his heart that his time holding the man was over. He motioned to the chair in front of him, his heart caught in his throat as Ianto took a seat. He sat with his back straight and sadness in his eyes that Jack hated to see. Jack swallowed hard before speaking. 

"How can I help you, Ianto?" Jack wondered. 

"I have been giving us a lot of thought recently," Ianto started and Jack held up his hand to stop him. 

"I know what you are about to say and I just want to know why," Jack interrupted. 

"Things have been different between us since the Doctor's return, and you found out that he was pregnant. You want to have a family and I don't know if I am ready for that. I like kids but I have never seen them as part of my future while working at Torchwood and don't feel I could love the child like you do. It wouldn't be fear to any of us if I stayed anyway just to walk away later so it is better if we end this now while we can still be friends," Ianto explained. 

"Of course we can still be friends. I want you to know that regardless of what happens between us, you will always have a place here at Torchwood for as long as you want it," Jack advised him. 

"Thank you, Sir. I will see you Monday," Ianto told him standing. He smiled at Jack as he stood and Jack got to his feet as well. He wanted to wrap his arms around the young Welshman and hold him close but felt it wasn't the appropriate moment. So he held his hand out to him, taking his hand. He shook it briefly then watched Ianto walk away. He watched until Ianto closed the door behind him then flopped down into his chair. Reaching into the cupboard beside him, he pulled out his bottle of whiskey and a glass. He ignored the glass for a moment as he took a long drink of the whiskey, just feeling the alcohol warm his chest. 

Ianto and his relationship had developed slowly since he started at Torchwood. It had been rocky at first as he had been adamant that he wasn't going to hire anyone from Torchwood one but Ianto had worn him down. He had even forgiven Ianto for sneaking his cyber girlfriend into the basement so that he could try to save her. After he killed Lisa, Ianto had pulled away from him for a while but they learned to trust each other again and then fell in love. He had been Ianto's first time with a man and he had been gentle when guiding him through it, showing him just how much he cared for the Welshman. After that, their sex life had become prolific and fun as they found new ways to explore each other's bodies. Now, that would come to an end but at least he hadn't lost the friend he gained. 

He sighed as there was another knock at the door, knowing the Doctor was on the other side. While the Doctor had come along way since being forced back to the hub and no longer was required to be in his cell all day, he wasn't allowed to be alone. He had spent his day with Mickey or Martha but they would be heading home soon once more making the Doctor his responsibility. It was one he didn't want tonight as he just wanted to drink and forgot. 

"Come in," he called out instead. The Doctor entered with Mickey beside him. He didn't look happy with the young man as he moved to stand beside Jack's desk with his arms crossed. 

"Martha and I are done with our work and heading home for the weekend," Mickey informed Jack ignoring the Time Lord's attitude. He had been unhappy with Mickey ever since he had been forced to log off the rift computer for the night. He hadn't been ready to quit but Mickey had dinner plans with Martha and was eager to leave before the rift decided to make them work late.

"Have a good weekend," Jack told him. Mickey hurried out and Jack turned his attention to the Doctor. "I'm about done here and then we will also head home for the night."

"Fine," the Doctor answered. His tone was flat and he didn't move from his place by the desk as Jack finished cleaning up his work. It didn't take very long and soon, he was standing again. He retrieved his coat, pulling it on before starting out the door to his office. He was about halfway down the stairs before he realized the Doctor hadn't followed him. Confused, he went back to his office to see the Doctor was standing in the same place next to his desk. 

"Are you coming, Doc?" Jack wondered. 

"Am I allowed to follow you?," the Doctor questioned softly. 

"Of course you are allowed to come with me. Why do you think you wouldn't be allowed to follow me?" Jack asked. 

"Because you never told me I could. I mean that's what you want isn't it, for me not to do anything unless someone is there to watch me and tell me that I can," the Doctor hissed softly. 

"I am really not in the mood for this at the moment, Doc. If you want to stand there and throw a fit than fine. You can stand there, all night for all I care. I, on the other hand, am going home and if you want to come with me then I suggest you pull your head out of your ass get over your tantrum and come with me," Jack snapped at him. The Doctor glared at him as he turned following Jack out of his office. Jack walked quickly out of the hub door making his way to the SUV. He unlocked the vehicle getting into the driver's seat and buckling in as the Doctor climbed into the passenger side. 

"Are you alright, Jack?" The Doctor asked. He had Jack yell at him before but something about the look in Jack's eyes told him that the man was hurting.

"Ianto broke up with me," Jack answered. 

"I'm sorry," the Doctor told him sincerely. 

"Yeah," Jack sighed. He felt the Doctor's hand slip into his and he squeezed it briefly. Letting go, he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, heading for their home.


	32. Chapter 32

"Did Ianto break up with you because of me?" the Doctor questioned during the trip home. Jack sighed. He really didn't want to talk to the Time Lord about it right now. He just wanted to get home, find a bottle of alcohol and drink until the pain of losing Ianto went away. He never thought that he would be able to care for someone again the way he loved Ianto but he allowed himself to fall in love knowing his heart would break in the end. He just didn't expect it to be so soon. 

"In a way but it isn't your fault, Doc. We broke up because our lives are currently going in separate directions and he isn't ready for a family," Jack answered truthfully. 

"I'm the one who chose to keep the baby," the Doctor argued. Jack glanced quickly at the Doctor before looking back at the road. 

"And I am the one who chose to raise it. We could argue about this all day but it doesn't change what happened and I really don't feel like talking about this right now or I may end up saying something I will regret. So can we just get home so that I can drink and forget," Jack advised him. 

"For what it's worth, I really am sorry," the Doctor told him. 

"I know," Jack responded. The rest of the drive was quiet. Upon arriving at their home, Jack immediately headed into their home. The Doctor stood outside staring about at the sky. It was a nice sunny day and if he concentrated hard enough for just a moment he could feel the twin suns on his face. He put his hand on his stomach, feeling the small bump that was being caused by his growing child. He wished silently that he could show the child the planet but it was gone and he was trapped on this horrible planet again with no way off. He hadn't even heard a rumor of the Master's return and until that happened he was truly stuck. 

Taking a deep breath, he went inside the home closing the door behind him. Jack's office door was shut and he avoided it as he went to the kitchen to find something to eat. He was thankful that at their home, Jack didn't keep a constant eye on him. Jack knew he had nowhere to go and even if he did leave, Jack would be able to find him anywhere on Earth. So at home, he had free range to wander and to tinker without constant eyes on him like at the hub. At the hub, Jack was too afraid he would cause trouble to leave him on his own. The Doctor tried not to think about that as he found a banana to eat along with leftover chicken from last night's meal. He ate them standing in the kitchen while he waited for the tea kettle to boil. Once hot, he made himself a cup of tea taking it with him upstairs to the nursery. 

He went inside the freshly painted room, taking a seat on the empty floor. They had painted the walls white after moving in but there was a line almost half-way up the wall that had a wooden line that went around the room. Below the line, they planned to paint it either lilac or blue depending on the sex of the baby. Regardless of the sex, the child would have light brown furniture that was currently waiting to be assembled. The Doctor ignored it as he went to the wall taking a seat. He placed his hand once more on his stomach and closed his eyes as he tried to connect with the child. He was slightly disappointed when he could barely feel the mind but not surprised. Children this young couldn't connect properly but he still had to try if he wanted the child to be healthy when born. 

Opening his eyes again, he let his hand fall standing up. He didn't see Jack again as he assembled the furniture setting it up in the middle of the room so that they didn't have to move it again when they painted. It took him longer than he expected to complete the task as he didn't have the sonic to aid him so he had to use an old fashioned screwdriver and wrench. It kept him busy, though, and upon finishing he felt as if he had actually accomplished something. He showered then went to the bedroom he shared with Jack climbing underneath the covers. He wasn't sure when he fell asleep but he wasn't surprised that Jack had failed to join him during the night. Jack never joined him even if he claimed the room was both of theirs. Instead, he chose to sleep on the couch, insisting that the Doctor could take the bed. 

It was Saturday now and their day off from Torchwood. He laid in bed, staring at the wall as he tried to decide if it was even worth getting out of bed. He couldn't do anything and he doubted he would see Jack this weekend as he hid in his office drinking. His mind made up, he pulled the blankets back over his head as he closed his eyes ready to go back to sleep. Instead, he drifted not completely awake or asleep as he lay in the quiet room. Around noon he heard the door to the bedroom open as Jack came in. 

"Planning on sleeping all day?" Jack wondered. 

"There is nothing else to do," the Doctor responded, his voice slightly muffled by the blankets. He heard Jack coming closer and then the bed shift as Jack flopped down on it beside him. 

"Usually when I stay in bed all weekend the other person is calling out my name," Jack told him half-heartedly.

"Maybe one day," the Doctor told him. 

"You really mean that?" Jack asked. 

"I don't know how long I am going to be stuck on Earth, Jack. There is always the possibility that it will happen since we are sharing a bed together," the Doctor answered him. 

"Now?" Jack wondered and the Doctor could hear the hope in that question. He wasn't surprised by it since Jack often used sex as a form of comfort. During their travels together he had watched Jack seek out sex in order to calm down when angry or because he was upset over something that happened. He also just had sex for the pure enjoyment of it, something that the Doctor never quite understood. On Gallifrey, they were only taught that sex was used for procreation by lesser species and it should be beneath good Time Lords. Yes, he still had sex occasionally, more so after the Master drugged him for his own amusement but he still couldn't bring himself to actively seek it out the way Jack did. 

"Alright," the Doctor answered hoping that his voice sounded calmer than he was feeling. He felt the bed shift again as Jack joined him under the blankets. He tried to keep his breathing even as Jack moved closer to him as he gripped the blankets. He was surprised as Jack didn't try to undress him but instead, wrapped his arms around him from behind putting his hand on the Doctor's stomach. 

"I can't now, but thank you," Jack whispered. The Doctor rolled so that he was facing Jack wrapping his own arms around him and holding him close. It was the middle of the afternoon but both men were content to just lay there together taking comfort in the other's arms. Life would go on tomorrow but for the moment it was enough.


	33. Chapter 33

The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday were spent lying in bed in each other's arms. They moved occasionally as Jack went to get food or more alcohol but neither one really felt like facing the universe that weekend. By Monday no one at Torchwood would have known that the Captain spent the weekend tucked heartbroken in his bed. He walked in fully dressed holding his head high. That morning in the meeting he gave orders like always and was civil to the young Welshman. Torchwood was running like normal with no sign that the Captain was still hurting and the Doctor wasn't going to betray Jack's trust by telling anyone. 

Instead, he sat quietly as Jack spoke to his team handing out the projects for the day. The Doctor barely listened knowing that his only task would be to help Mickey in between his daily talks with Martha as well as his weekly check-up. He hated the examinations as she always complained to him that he needed to gain weight and he refused to let his lithe body become fat. He understood that the baby would need room to grow and the extra calories so he was eating more but he wasn't going to eat outside of his normal diet just to make her happy. He was already doing enough of that by taking daily prenatal vitamins and a single pill for his depression that he was given at their daily talk and supposed to take on his own over the weekend. A fact that he often failed to comply with. 

"Did you hear me, Doctor?" Jack asked interrupting his morning sulking. 

"No," the Doctor admitted as he turned his attention back to the meeting. 

"I will ask you again then," Jack stated patiently as he could tell the Doctor wasn't paying attention to him the moment he started to talk to him. "Once you are done with your exam, will you please join me and Ianto in the archives so we can store the new artifacts?"

"Of course," the Doctor answered slightly excited that he was going to be doing real work and not just the busy work that Mickey usually provided for him. Jack handed out the rest of the assignments and then released his small team. 

"Jack can I have a word," Martha asked. Jack nodded waiting while Mickey, Gwen, and Ianto filed out to begin their work. Once it was just the three of them in the room Martha spoke again. "Today after I have ran through the Doctor's initial examination I am going to perform an ultrasound to determine the health and growth of the baby. He is far enough along that I should also be able to determine the sex today if you want to know." 

"I do but it is the Doctor's decision if I can be in the room," Jack replied. They both looked towards the Doctor. He was staring down at his stomach with one hand resting about the child he was carrying. 

"That's fine," the Doctor spoke up finally. He stood up leaving the room and Martha went after him. The Doctor looked longingly towards the stairs leading down to the artifacts but instead turned to go down to the autopsy room. He rolled his eyes at Martha letting her know exactly how he felt about the suggestion as he was once more informed that the needed to gain weight. He had given up on telling her he wasn't going to do it so he just let her chastise him briefly as she had him climb up on the table. She was quick as she checked the rest of his vitals seeing that he was still doing well despite being underweight and pregnant. She then went to get Jack before having him lift his shirt. 

"This will be a little cool," she warned the Doctor before applying the gel to his skin. He stared up the ceiling as she found the baby. Once again the measurements for the child were off despite how far along he was. Every week she found the measurements were different from what she expected but the baby was still growing and she couldn't find anything wrong besides the fact it was small. She hoped it was just because of genes but she had no way of knowing for sure until the child was born. "So are you ready to find out the sex?"

"Yes," Jack responded excitedly. Martha moved the wand and then smiled at Jack. 

"It's a girl," Martha told him. Jack grinned broadly at the fact that he was going to be having a daughter. He turned to the Doctor hoping to share in the excitement to find the Doctor still staring upward. 

"Don't you want to see Emily?" Jack wondered. The Doctor shook his head no. 

"It's all right. I will print out a picture in case he changes his mind later," Martha informed them. She printed out several pictures for Jack then gave the Doctor a flannel to clean his stomach off with. The Doctor wiped off the gel before sitting up. Martha handed Jack the pictures and he took them with him as he left the room. The Doctor started to stand to go after him but Martha put a hand on his arm to stop him. 

"Our talks are in the afternoon, Martha," the Doctor whispered. 

"I know but I just want to know if there is any reason why you refused to watch the ultrasound today," Martha questioned. The Doctor looked away from her not answering. He didn't want to tell her the turmoil that he was currently feeling over the child he was carrying. He said at the beginning he didn't want her but over the last few days, he found himself thinking quite a bit about her. He wanted to take her in the TARDIS and show her planets. He willingly tried to connect with her in order to strengthen her mind and found himself snacking just to help provide her calories even if he didn't want to gain weight. He had said at the beginning that he didn't want the child but he found himself changing his mind. As horrible as it was being trapped on this planet he found himself wanting to stay with Jack in their home in order to help raise her. He wanted to be her daddy. 

"This ultrasound wasn't for me but for Jack since he is going to be the one raising her," the Doctor lied finally knowing he had to say something or Martha would never let him go down to the archives. 

"You can still show interest in the child. Just because you agreed that Jack could raise her that doesn't mean you have to walk away. You can be a part of her life and help Jack to raise her," Martha explained softly. 

"I know," the Doctor sighed. He picked up her hand taking it off his shoulder before standing. He didn't ask for her permission as he left the room going down to where Jack was waiting with Ianto in the archives. He put a fake smile on his face as he entered the room. Jack saw right through the smile as it didn't come close to touching the Doctor's eyes. He was pretending to be alright to, though, and maybe one day they both would be.


	34. Chapter 34

-Present day-

They were all awake early the next morning. The Doctor showered and dressed before helping Emily to dress. Once more she showed that she got her dress sense from her daddy as she wore a purple dress with blue leggings and red socks. She wanted her red converse to go with them and the Doctor put her hair into a single braid. Once they were done the two of them headed down to make breakfast. She didn't want anything beyond toast and an egg. The Doctor made enough for everyone to eat while he snacked on a banana. Then he had his own portion of toast and eggs with her. Jack joined them a short time later and ate as well. Once they were done, the three of them headed out. 

"I want to stay with Daddy," Emily started to cry as she realized they were heading to her daycare first. 

"I know baby, but you have to go be with your friends. I am going to go to work with your Uncle Jack and then tonight we can read your book together," The Doctor told her. 

"You're not leaving?" Emily questioned. 

"No. I'm not leaving," the Doctor replied. 

"Promise," Emily wondered. 

"I promise," the Doctor answered. He had no plans to leave her again for long. Jack was right that he had been gone for too long and even though he needed to deal with the Master he could do that without being gone for weeks at a time. If he was careful, the two of them could even leave to deal with the Time Lord and be back before the workday ended. Still, they would have to make plans to have someone watch Emily for the night just in case since things didn't always go according to plan. 

Jack parked the SUV outside of her daycare. He got out and took Emily out of her car seat but she refused to go inside until she was able to hug the Doctor goodbye for the day. The Doctor kissed her softly on the head promising once more that he would be with Jack when he came to pick her up that afternoon. With that assurance, Emily finally allowed Jack to take her inside the familiar building. He returned a few minutes later without her climbing back into the driver's seat. 

"You know she won't understand if you break that promise to her," Jack informed him as he started the vehicle. 

"I don't plan to break any promise. I plan to help you at Torchwood and begin planning on how we are going to take down the Master. Then tonight, I will return home with you and our daughter," the Doctor answered. Jack smiled at the fact that he called her their daughter. He had still referred to him as Uncle Jack but that was alright. They both needed to sit down and talk to Emily about the fact that Jack was going to be her papa now. They had to be sure that she understood that it didn't mean that the Doctor was leaving but they would both be there to care for her. 

The drive to Torchwood was otherwise quiet and they made it in good time. They weren't the first ones to arrive as Ianto always made sure to get there early in order to start the coffee. They went inside and Jack checked on the rift reports while the Doctor took a seat at Mickey's computer. He had his own passwords now for the system that took away from the fun of hacking it but kept the alarms from going off and locking the system down. Once in, he was able to access the archives that Jack kept on all of the items that came through the rift. He had been through them every time he came but now he was looking for specific items that would allow him to take down the Master. 

Even if he had given Jack permission to kill the man, he didn't want to unless he had to. A part of him still wanted to save the Master and hopefully, one day turn him back into the man who was once his friend. A thought crossed his mind and closing the archives, he instead pulled up the building plans for the Torchwood hub. The top layer was the information booth that Ianto ran as a cover for the building. Jack's office and the greenhouse were on the same level above the main part of the hub with the rift manipulator and restrooms. To one side of the main level were stairs leading down to the autopsy area and Martha's office. To the other, stairs led down to Ianto's office which was in front of the vault. Past his office was the morgue and along the hall leading to the morgue were the cells. There was another staircase tucked past the cells that led down to the shooting range and main weapon supply. From there was a sharp turn that led down to an unused large area.

"Why are you looking at building schematics," Jack questioned as he came up behind the Doctor. The Doctor left the plans open as he turned in his chair to look at the Captain.

"I am seeing if there is somewhere that I can safely keep the Master if we are able to capture him alive," the Doctor explained.

"Then you are wasting your time as the only way the Master is coming back on the TARDIS is in a body bag. Once we find him, I am putting a bullet through his head and both of his hearts as a Time Lord I trust told me that was the only way to ensure he wouldn't be able to regenerate," Jack explained and the Doctor nodded. 

"We will then have to burn the body. I know he doesn't deserve it because of what he has done. The bodies of criminals should be left to rot but he was once my friend and I want to give him a proper funeral. Then with your help, we can scatter his ashes among the stars," the Doctor stated. His eyes pleaded with Jack to understand why he still thought his friend received a proper send-off even if he didn't deserve it. Jack just stepped forward wrapping his arms around the sitting man.

"Don't worry, Doc, I will help you bury him among the stars," Jack reassured him. Jack didn't need him to explain because he understood better than anyone the need to save someone you cared about. His own brother was still in the autopsy room cryogenically frozen and would remain there until Jack found a way to save him. Not that he ever had hope that it would happen. 

The door to the hub opened and the Doctor pulled away from Jack. He stood up turning his face into a smile as Martha entered with Mickey. He crossed the hub wrapping her in a large hug. She hugged him back happy to see him. She wasn't fooled by the smile as she knew the pain and anger that Jack carried towards him. She planned to talk to him but that would have to wait until after the morning meeting. Until then, she would let him pretend he was alright and then she would get him to tell her the truth.


	35. Chapter 35

The Doctor was quiet, sitting in the back of the room while Jack handed out the tasks at the morning meeting. Nothing new had come through the rift during the night so all the tasks were to finish up work around the hub and close any investigations that they had going before something new appeared. Jack dismissed his team leaving the office with Ianto as they discussed the paperwork that Jack was behind on signing. The Doctor continued to sit sipping his tea as he watched the others leave until it was just him and Martha sitting in the conference room. Martha opened her mouth to talk to him but the Doctor spoke before she could. 

"How is August?" The Doctor asked. 

"He is doing well and if you are still here next weekend, you can join Jack, Gwen, and I at the park so that you can see him," Martha told him. 

"I don't plan on going anywhere," The Doctor stated surprising her. She never expected him to agree to join the playdate they had planned with her two-year-old son and Gwen's two-year-old daughter. Emily was slightly older then them being three but they were still close enough in age the three of them were able to interact and play happily together. 

"While I would love to see you there next Saturday, we both know that you don't ever stay. You make plans to see your daughter or help someone at the hub and then just disappear during the night," Martha informed him. She had stopped believing his promises to stay years ago as he was never good with following through. He would show up when he wanted to, or when they called him. Stay for a few hours then disappear just as quickly without an explanation regardless of how much he promised to stay and help them with. Over time she learned to have him help her the same day or figure out how to complete the task herself. 

"I know but I promise this time things will be different. I found him, Martha. After years of looking, I finally have the opportunity to stop him. Once that is done, I will no longer have to run in the middle of the night to chase rumors of his whereabouts before he moves on again. I can stay and rest while helping Jack to raise our daughter," the Doctor explained. 

"Do you need help stopping him?" Martha questioned. 

"I can't put anyone else into danger, Martha. I know I can't stop him alone and Jack has already offered to kill him for me. I think it would be better if just the two of us go after him but I would like you to care for Emily while we are gone. We shouldn't be gone for more than the afternoon but I need to know that she is going to be safe and taken care of if something happens to us," the Doctor told her. 

"Of course I will take care of Emily for you but you better make sure that you and Jack come back. I don't want to have to sit up at night with her wondering what happened to her daddy and her uncle," Martha answered. 

"I'll try," The Doctor promised. It was the most he could promise because when dealing with the Master nothing was guaranteed to go smoothly. One of the last times he faced the Master he had planned to take him down silently, instead, he had to spend a year being tortured for a year. 

He finished off his tea standing with the empty cup. He made his way out of the conference room dropping his teacup off at the kitchen to be washed. He then made his way down to the vault. Ianto let him in so that he could identify the artifact from yesterday. Once it was in his hand, though, he quickly realized that it was an explosive device and it was a miracle that it hadn't gone off yet. He used his sonic to disable it but still didn't feel safe leaving it in Jack's vault. He signed it out of the vault, planning on storing it in his TARDIS where she could contain it if necessary. He took it with him to Jack's office where his TARDIS was parked in her usual corner.

Jack was on the phone and he watched as the Doctor went into the TARDIS, leaving the door open behind him. It was his way of telling Jack that he wasn't going to be leaving and that Jack was welcome to come aboard whenever he wanted. He went down to his own vault storing the bomb in a special status compartment that would keep it from going off. With it secured, he went back up to the control room finding Jack sitting on the captain's seat waiting for him. He had his feet up on the console and his hands behind his head as he stared up at the tall vaulted ceiling.

"Tell me about where the Master is," Jack told him as a way of greeting as he reappeared. The Doctor sat leaned against the edge of the console as he began to tell Jack about the strange island that the Master was living on. While he hadn't been lying when he said that the Master was living peacefully with the people there was definitely something wrong on the island. For one thing, there were no adults over the age of thirty unless they were disabled in some way either mentally or physically. He asked a few people what happened to the other adults but all he was told is that they followed a golden road to paradise. He looked around the island but he didn't see any golden roads so he assumed they meant it was a metaphoric road. 

The other problem with the island that everyone was terrified of the water. They wouldn't venture out into the sea that surrounded the island stating it was dangerous but unable to give him a sufficient reason why. Some people believed that there was a large sea creature that lived in the water ready to pull them under if they dared to venture out too far. Others seemed to think that the water was deadly while others stated it was too deep and cold to swim far in. One thing that was agreed upon, however, is that shortly after someone's thirtieth birthday they will get the urge to venture out into the water, sailing or swimming away from the island never to return. 

"I thought you said nothing sinister was going on," Jack stated. 

"As far as I can tell nothing sinister is happening. I can't tell why there are only young people and what is happening to the adults when they leave the island. That is something we are going to have to find out," the Doctor answered.

"I don't think we can do this on our own, Doc," Jack told him. 

"I know but I don't want to put anyone else in danger. I already told Martha that she can help me by watching Emily for us and I am not going to take Mickey or Ianto. So unless you had anyone else in mind, then we are on our own," the Doctor responded. 

"I think I might."


	36. Chapter 36

-Four years prior-

The Doctor sat in their home staring at the stars through the window. His stomach had grown over the last couple of months and now there was no denying that he was pregnant to himself or the others at the hub. In public, he could wear his coat and people just assumed that he was fat as male pregnancy had yet to be introduced in this century. It was just as well because he didn't want to be another pregnant person who had their belly touched while people asked when he was due. At least this way the only people who regularly bugged him about his pregnancy were Martha and Jack. Everyone else tended to leave him alone allowing him to forget for just a moment that he would have a child to care for soon. 

He sighed. He still hadn't figure out a way to tell Jack that he wanted to be Emily's daddy and a part of her life. That he wanted to watch the child grow with Jack caring for her. He wanted more than anything to hear her call him daddy. He thought for a long time that part of him had died. The part that wanted the family with children but Jenny had helped reawaken his hearts for the short time she was in his life and now he hoped that Emily could help heal them. 

"Are you alright Doc?" Jack questioned. The Doctor started turning to look at the Captain who was standing in the living room with him. 

"Fine," the Doctor answered. 

"Are you sure because I have been calling your name for several minutes and you didn't answer me," Jack responded. The Doctor smiled at him. 

"I was just thinking. Did you need something, Jack?" the Doctor wondered. 

"I was making myself a snack before bed and I was wondering if you wanted anything," Jack informed him. The Doctor shook his head no. Jack disappeared back into the kitchen and the Doctor turned to look back out at the stars. He was getting better during the day but at night he missed his TARDIS so badly that it hurt. She had been his friend and home for over five hundred years and now she was gone and he didn't know if he would ever see her again. He was stuck on Earth for the time being and he just wanted to run farther than he had ever run before. Only he couldn't. Sometimes, when he sat in the window and concentrated he swore he could almost feel her. That she was closer than he thought but he wasn't able to figure out where. 

"I'm going to bed," the Doctor called out as he stood. He made his way up the stair to the room he shared with Jack. Even if he shared a bed with Jack, he felt just as lonely in it as he did the rest of the house. Even if he had given Jack permission to have sex with him, Jack had yet to follow through on the offer. Instead, they shared the bed at night touching as little as possible while they slept. The Doctor couldn't tell Jack how much it hurt him that Jack didn't want to touch him. How he wanted something to be put in his body because he wanted it there and not because the Master had drugged him or Martha thought it was medically necessary. He wanted to feel Jack's body move with his and know it was because Jack cared about him. 

He changed into his pajamas then climbed under the blankets. He lay there staring at the dark wall until the door opened and Jack came into the room. Jack didn't bother to turn on the light in the room as he changed into a pair of pajama bottoms before joining the Doctor in bed. He set an alarm for early the next day so that he could go into Torchwood then settled down on his own side facing away from the Doctor as he got comfortable. He was slowly drifting off to sleep when he heard a soft sob. He thought he was imaging things for a moment before he heard it again. He rolled onto his back sitting up so that he could look over at the Doctor. The Time Lord had curled into himself and his body was shaking with the tears that he was trying desperately to hide from Jack. 

"Doctor?" Jack whispered. "What's the matter, Doctor?"

"Nothing," the Doctor stuttered. 

"Don't lie to me. Something is obviously bugging you and it doesn't matter if you think you are being silly or hormonal you aren't going to be able to sleep properly until you talk to me and tell me what it is," Jack told him softly. The Doctor didn't answer him because he wasn't sure how. He just wanted Jack to touch him but he could never be sure he didn't somehow make Jack feel like he had to by telling him while he was crying. So he kept his mouth shut trying to calm himself. He sobbed harder as he felt the bed shift and Jack wrapped his arms around him holding him close. Jack made gentle shushing noises as he ran his hand gently through the Doctor's hair. The Doctor eventually went quiet his breathing evening out as sleep overtook him. Jack moved his hand so that it was resting on the Doctor's stomach as he closed his eyes to join him. 

He woke the next morning to his alarm. The Doctor's eyes were still closed but he had pressed his body back against Jack's so that his arse was pressing firmly against Jack's groin. He could feel himself growing hard at the feeling as it had been two months since he last had sex and he couldn't bring himself to go to one of the many bars he favored for a quick lay as he had the Doctor to watch over. He was just going to have to take care of himself in the shower again before they headed out. 

"Stay," the Doctor whispered so softly that he barely heard him as he started to shift away from him. Jack laid back down separating his groin from the Doctor's bottom as he wrapped his arm back around the man. He could wait another five minutes before getting up he decided. He had just closed his eyes to rest again when he felt the Doctor shift backward so that he was pressing against Jack's groin again. Jack didn't respond right away as he considered the Doctor's behavior. The Doctor had told him that he could have sex with him but he wasn't ready at the time as he had still been heartbroken over Ianto. The Doctor also wasn't the kind of man that would ask or initiate sex so Jack could wait for the rest of eternity to have sex with the man if he waited for him to make the first move. He thrust his hips gently against the Doctor's arse and heard the Time Lord moan softy. His suspicions confirmed he did it again keeping his movements slow even as his cock ached to be buried in the lithe body. 

"You like that?" Jack questioned. 

"Yeah," the Doctor sighed. 

"Do you want me to push myself into your tight body?" Jack wondered. The Doctor didn't answer him and Jack stopped his movements. 

"Jack?" the Doctor asked obviously confused about why Jack had stopped. 

"I'm not going to have sex with you unless you give me permission. Either tell me I can or this ends now," Jack informed him. The Doctor still didn't answer and Jack started to move away again. He didn't know what he expected but he was surprised as the Doctor burst into tears. He immediately moved back to take him into his arms again. He made gentle shushing sounds as he pulled the Doctor tightly to him. He kissed him softly on the cheek and caught the Doctor's mouth with his own as he turned his head. They kissed slowly as the Doctor's sobs faded. Jack wasn't surprised as the Doctor let him take charge obviously just needing to feel loved. "Please, Doc. Tell me I can."

"Yes," the Doctor breathed. It was soft and low but it was the permission Jack needed. There was no finesse as he pulled down his own pajamas pushing them out of the way. He then slowly helped the Doctor to undress, their mouths never separating for long as he stripped him of his clothing. They were still under the blankets so he wasn't able to take in the lithe body but that was alright for now. Reaching over the Doctor he got into the bedside table pulling out one of the small bottles of lube he kept there. He continued to kiss the Doctor as he opened the bottle putting a little on his finger. Bringing his hand down to the Doctor's arse he moved his finger between his cheeks rubbing the moist skin there. The Doctor moaned deeply as Jack's finger pushed carefully into his body. He spread his legs slightly allowing Jack to move his finger deeper finding the split that his body had. Rather than being confused by it, Jack eased a second finger in. He rubbed both sides and the Doctor cried out in his mouth as pleasure filled him. No one had ever treated his body this way and he pushed back against the fingers just wanting more. Jack's wrist was aching as much as his cock and he pulled his fingers out ready to bury himself in the tight body. 

"I want to see you," the Doctor panted before Jack could feel him. Jack threw the blankets back exposing them to the cool air of the room as the Doctor moved so that he was able to roll onto his back and Jack positioned himself between his legs. He lifted one of them holding it up and out of the way as he positioned himself. His other hand on his cock, he stared into the Doctor's face as he breached his body for the first time. The Doctor stared into Jack's eyes as his body was filled by Jack. There was a slight burning stretch as it had been months since he had been filled but he welcomed it as he knew that it was Jack claiming his body. He pushed himself up on his elbows just wanting to taste Jack's mouth again and Jack moved his leg to the side so that he was able to lean down. The Doctor held his own legs out of the way as Jack filled his body and claimed his mouth. 

"You're so cool inside," Jack whispered as his groin met the Doctor's bottom. The Doctor rolled his eyes at Jack and Jack smiled as he began to thrust. He kept his movements slow pushing as deeply as possible every time. The Doctor whimpered, moaning as Jack made love to him for the first time. Jack's hand moved between their bodies taking the Doctor's own cock into his hand. It was hard and spreading precum across the Doctor's stomach with every thrust. The Doctor cried out as Jack's hot hand wrapped around him and he thrust up into his hand before pushing back onto Jack's cock. The sensations were becoming too much for the Doctor and he cried out Jack's name as he fell over the edge. 

"I'm close," Jack told him as he continued to move. The Doctor was becoming oversensitized as Jack pushed in even deeper desperate to fill the Doctor with his release and keep a part of himself buried in the tight body. He pulled back so that he could watch the Doctor's face as he found his own release deep inside his arse. He held himself steady breathing hard. Then pulled out carefully. He collapsed to the side beside the Doctor trying to catch his breath. The Doctor let his legs down feeling the stretch. He could clearly feel the burning in his arse mixed with lube and Jack's release. He needed to shower but he really didn't feel like moving at the moment. 

"We're going to be late," the Doctor informed Jack. 

"Torchwood can survive if we're a couple of hours late because once I recover, I am going to bend you over so that I can claim that tight arse again," Jack answered. The Doctor couldn't help the shudder of pleasure that went through his body at the thought and Jack smiled at him. Moving closer to Jack, he cuddled against him. Jack turned so that he could hold him as they lay naked in each other's arms.


	37. Chapter 37

The two of them spent the next week making love as much as possible. Despite his comment of wanting to bend the Doctor over, he took the Doctor on his back every time so that he was able to stare the Time Lord in the eyes. The Doctor surprised him with how quiet he was during sex. He panted and breathed Jack's name only crying out as he came. Jack longed to make him lose control but it would have to wait until after the baby was born. Then he would be as rough as the Doctor needed taking him for hours on end until the only thing the Doctor could focus on was the feeling of Jack's cock moving in and out of his body. 

Outside of the bedroom, though, the Doctor had become quieter. Jack could tell there was something bothering him again but the Doctor refused to tell him what it was. Instead, he had resulted in simple answers when Jack spoke to him using as little words as possible. Jack found him more than once with a hand on his stomach staring down at the bump but had only reassured Jack that the baby was fine when asked. He was pulling away from Jack even as their bodies moved as one and Jack was positive that if he had the TARDIS he would have ran by now. 

"Can you read over this for me?" Jack questioned as he passed the Doctor a piece of paper. The Doctor took it staring down at the words. Despite normally being able to speed read he couldn't even get his eyes to focus on the first word. All he could think about was the child in his stomach and how much he needed to be a part of her life. He moved one hand to his stomach again focusing on connecting with the child. He felt her mind against his and he smiled sending the feeling of love through the link that they shared. He broke it carefully then looked at the paper again. The words still refused to come into focus. 

"Jack there is something that I need to tell you," the Doctor told him. Jack turned from his work to look at the Time Lord. He was staring down at his hands and playing with the piece of paper he was holding. 

"What did you need to tell me, Doc?" Jack asked as he failed to speak. "I know something is bothering you, so why don't you tell me what it is so that I can help you." 

"I want to be her daddy," the Doctor blurted out quickly. 

"And what does that leave me?" Jack wondered softly. He was surprised by the Doctor's words as the Doctor never seemed to show much interest in the child he was carrying. 

"I still want you to be a part of her life. I was thinking you could call yourself her Uncle Jack," the Doctor responded. Jack felt anger quickly replacing the shock he was feeling. He had spent the Doctor's entire pregnancy planning for this child. He had set up a nursery and purchased everything that she needed. She would want for nothing in his care as he would raise her the way he always dreamed of raising his children. He had already even looked into daycares that were alien friendly and was going to send her to the best schools when she was old enough. He even had planned for dance lessons for her and now he felt all that being ripped away. He reached into his desk pulling out a small key that he kept inside it.

"Here take this. Your TARDIS is located in a small storage shed on the outside of town. Martha can take you there," Jack told him as he dropped the key into the stunned Doctor's hand. The Doctor stared at the key for a moment then looked up at Jack. All the anger of the Oncoming Storm was staring up at him but for once Jack didn't care. 

"You had.." The Doctor started angrily but Jack wasn't in the mood. 

"Shut up, Doctor. For once in your life just shut up and do what you do best," Jack snapped angrily. He wanted more than anything to punch the Doctor as hard as he could. The only thing that stopped him was that he had never knowingly punched a pregnant person before and he wasn't about to start now. Instead, he stormed past the Doctor leaving his office. He slammed the door as hard as he could behind him, the thud of it echoing through the hub. His team turned to look at him but he ignored them as he hurried down the stairs and out the visitor's entrance to the hub. He needed a stiff drink and he knew just where to find it.


	38. Chapter 38

It was almost five minutes later when Martha made her way up to Jack's office. She found the Doctor still sitting in the chair in front of Jack's desk staring forward. He didn't seem to notice her presence as she took a seat next to him but finally, he turned his head towards her when she placed a hand on his leg. She could see the tears and the confusion in his eyes as he held out a small key to her. She recognized it immediately and was surprised when he didn't fight her as she took the key from him placing it in her pocket. 

"Can you take me to my TARDIS?" He questioned her. 

"No, because we both know that you aren't ready to go there yet. If I take you there now you will just seek out the Master and I won't let that beautiful little girl you are carrying be raised by that monster while you are strung out on his drugs. You need to stay here in Cardiff for now and once you are ready I will take you to her," Martha told him. The Doctor nodded a tear forming at the corner of his eye which he quickly wiped away. "Is Jack angry at you because you found the key?"

"He gave it to me and told me to leave," the Doctor answered her honestly. 

"Why did he tell you to leave?" Martha asked in concern. 

"Because I told him I wanted to be Emily's daddy," the Doctor responded. Martha took a deep breath letting it out slowly as the Doctor continued. "I don't want to take her away from him Martha. The TARDIS is no place to raise a child and she would never be safe traveling among the stars. I plan to leave her with him during the day when I am well enough to travel and return to help him raise her at night."

"Did you tell that to Jack?" Martha wondered and the Doctor shook his head no. 

"He left before I could." Martha didn't have to ask where he went because she had to drag Jack away from his favorite pub more than once over the years. It usually was because he had a hard day at work or due to a fight with Ianto and she had no doubt that he had gone there for comfort, even if he couldn't get drunk from the alcohol they served. 

"Come on, you need to rest and eat supper. I am going to have Mickey take you to our flat for the night and I will be along in a little while," Martha advised the Doctor as she stood. The Doctor nodded standing. He followed her out of Jack's office and down to the main hub where Mickey was working. Mickey gave Martha a questioning look but she promised to explain later. Trusting her, the three of them left the hub. Mickey and the Doctor got into their SUV heading towards their home while Martha walked down the street to the nearby pub. Just as she suspected Jack was inside at one of the tables nursing a bottle of whiskey. 

"Is he gone?" Jack asked as Martha approached the table. 

"No. He is currently going to my flat with Mickey in order to get supper and rest," Martha responded. She took out the key from her pocket handing it to Jack. He took it from her staring down at it. "In the future, I would appreciate it if you asked me before you give him this key."

"I am surprised he gave it to you," Jack told her. 

"He doesn't want it, Jack. As much as he misses his TARDIS, he knows that he isn't ready to travel yet. He still needs to finish healing his mind and give birth before he will be ready to go off on his own again," Martha responded. Jack made a rude noise with his mouth as he lifted the cup to his mouth taking another drink. She took a seat at the table across from him. Jack didn't bother to ask for another cup as he knew that she would never drink with him. Her patients always came first so it was rare for her to indulge in any alcohol as she worried about being intoxicated when they needed her. 

"Did he tell you he wants to be her daddy?" Jack asked. 

"He did and he told me that he asked you to be her uncle. I know it hurts Jack," Martha started. 

"You're damn right it hurts. I have put months into planning for this child just to have it ripped away from before he gives birth. I understand him wanting to be her daddy but I can't even be her papa, father, dad, or any other version of the word. He just wants to take her away from me and have me be her uncle," Jack spat. 

"He doesn't want to take her away from you. He still wants you to raise and take care of her. Nothing has changed besides what you will be called," Martha explained. Jack rolled his eyes. While he was relieved that he would still be able to raise Emily, he was still upset that he was no longer going to be able to be her daddy. He had lost that opportunity with Alice as well due to her mother hiding her from him and the Doctor opened old wounds by doing the same with Emily. 

"He can be a right arse sometimes," Jack replied. Martha nodded her agreement as Jack finished off the glass he was holding. He poured himself another as she watched. "I don't want to see him tonight."

"That's fine. He can stay at my flat tonight and I will bring him to the hub with us in the morning," Martha told him. She stood and Jack made no move to follow her. "Do you want me to wait and drive you home?"

"That guy at the bar has been watching me for most of the night. I might see if he is open to sharing my bed tonight," Jack informed her. 

"Goodnight, Jack." Jack waved her goodnight as he watched her head out of the pub. Despite his claim of bedding the man at the bar, he wasn't actually interested in sleeping with him. What he really wanted at the moment was to get extremely drunk then to drill someone roughly into the bed and he wasn't going to accomplish that here. He paid his tab before heading out into the cool evening air. He went back to the hub going up to his office. He found a bottle of whiskey he kept there that he had laced with hyper-vodka. He took it with him as he left heading to his home. Once inside, he took off his shoes and coat throwing them aside. He didn't bother to turn on a light as he flopped heavily onto the sofa before opening the bottle of whiskey. He brought the bottle to his lips, taking a long drink. His phone rang but he didn't bother answering it as he took another mouthful. Tonight, he just wanted to forget and even if it took the entire bottle, he planned on accomplishing just that.


	39. Chapter 39

Jack drank the night away only stopping when sometime after he blacked out and waking up still dressed in his clothing from the night before. He stretched his sore body standing up as he stood up from the sofa where he had spent the night. He had wanted to forget last night and he had accomplished it but now his head was pounding and his mouth felt as if he had swallowed a ton of cotton. He looked at his watch, squinting to bring the blurry numbers in to focus. He still had two hours before he had to be at work and had plenty of time to shower and sober up then have a cup of coffee before heading out. He stumbled his way up the stairs going into the bathroom. Out of habit, he closed and locked the door behind him. He didn't bother to turn on the light as he stripped out of his clothing from the night before throwing it into the basket to be washed. He retrieved a razor from the cupboard then stepped into the shower starting the water. 

When he emerged almost an hour later, he was clean and completely sober. He felt weary but that would pass tonight once he got a goodnight's sleep. He returned the razor to its place in the cabinet then dried off. Sauntering naked from the bathroom he went into his own room to dress for the day. The house was quiet without the Time Lord in it but he didn't focus on that fact as he pulled out a gray shirt with dark trousers. He put them on along with his belt, braces, socks, and shoes. Ready for the day, he made himself a cup of coffee along with a simple breakfast of toast with butter before setting out for the day. It was a nice morning and he rolled down the windows enjoying the cool air on his way to Torchwood. Arriving, he found only Ianto's SUV and he made his way in eager for another cup of coffee. 

By the time the rest of his team arrived, he already had the rift reports printed and had caught up with the morning news. He didn't bother to call a morning meeting just stood on the stairs as they arrived ready to hand out the assignments and start the day. Gwen was the next to arrive but Mickey and Martha came in right after her with the Doctor walking slowly behind them. He had his head hung and refused to look at Jack. It was clear he hadn't slept well the night before as he was still wearing the same rumpled clothes and his hair wasn't its usual messiness but showed it hadn't been brushed. 

"I am going to make this quick because there is a lot to do this morning. Ianto you are with me in retrieving several artifacts that came through the rift. Gwen, I need you to run things from here and watch the rift for any new activity. Martha, the police have a body that they are having trouble identifying. I need you to take the Doctor with you and see if you can give them a hand. If it is alien, Gwen can help you get it transported back here for an autopsy. As for you, Mickey, you are heading to London to see the Brigadier. He will explain more when you arrive," Jack ordered. Everyone moved to follow their orders but the Doctor took a step forward. 

"Jack?" he questioned, his voice low and not commanding like normal.

"I don't want to hear it, Doctor," Jack answered starting to move away. 

"I'm sorry," the Doctor apologized anyway. Jack stopped in his tracks turning to glare at the Time Lord. His anger shown clearly in his eyes at he glared at the Doctor. 

"Why are you sorry? Are you sorry because you want to be her daddy? You shouldn't be because it is completely within your right to want to raise the child you are carrying. I don't think you are sorry that you deceived me for months on end either. You know how much that child your carrying means to me and how much I wanted to be her father. I will still be her uncle Jack if that is what you want and I will help you raise her but don't think for a second that I will forgive you just because you said you are sorry because we both know it's not true," Jack seethed angrily. 

"I really am sorry, though," the Doctor whispered. Jack barked a single laugh at him. 

"No, you're really not. You may be sorry because I am currently mad at you but you can do us both a favor and not pretend that you ever really cared about how I felt," Jack seethed. He stormed past the Doctor not caring that his entire team was watching them and pretending not to listen. "Now, Ianto."

"Yep," Ianto answered grabbing his coat. The two of them left the hub. Martha came up behind the Doctor putting a gentle hand on his back. 

"Come on, we have work to do," Martha advised him softly. The Doctor nodded following her out to the SUV not saying another word. He had been quiet the night before as well lost in his thoughts. He thought he knew why Jack was mad at him and he wanted Jack to understand why he needed this baby. Only Jack wasn't ready to hear it and a part of him wondered if Jack would ever be. He should have just kept his mouth shut only he knew it would break his hearts to hear Emily call Jack daddy. He was the one who was carrying her after all and he had every right to be her daddy. He was going to be too. He was going to be there for her no matter how much it hurt. 

They made the trip out to the police precedent to examine the body. It was definitely human but the poor man had met up with a weevil at some point. There were cover stories in place for weevil deaths and Andy promised he would inform the family for them. They returned to Torchwood where the Doctor spent the day down in the autopsy room with Martha working on small projects, making sure to avoid Jack. As the end of the day approached, he prepared himself to spend another night on her couch. He followed her up the stairs to find Jack waiting for them. 

"Mickey is tied up in London so he will be home late but I promise he will be home tonight," Jack informed Martha without looking at the Doctor. 

"Thank you. I finished up the reports as well as put in an order for medications and supplies," Martha responded. 

"I will approve it before I head out for the day," Jack promised her. He finally looked towards the Doctor. "Wait down here while I finish my work and then we will go home."

"All right," the Doctor agreed softly. Martha rubbed his arm softly as she bid him goodbye disappearing from the hub and leaving him alone. He was tempted to run as he stood alone waiting for Jack. He didn't know how far he would make it on his own but he would try to get to the TARDIS and away from this planet. If he closed his eyes and focused he could feel her calling to him and it would be easy to follow that call. Only he didn't, he waited in the hub until Jack was ready to leave then followed him out to the SUV. He opened his mouth to apologize again then closed it. Nothing he said at the moment would make Jack forgive him so he remained quiet on the ride home. He stayed quiet as they both made their way into the house going about their separate routines. Even if the house wasn't that large they didn't run into each other again until bed that night. 

The Doctor had gone up first changing into his jimjams and slipping beneath the cool blankets. Jack followed him about a half an hour later. He changed as well then climbed under the blankets. The Doctor expected Jack to lay as far as he could from him but Jack moved closer. The Doctor was slightly confused as Jack reached over him opening the drawer and pulling out the small bottle of lube that was kept there. Yes, they had sex often over the last week but he didn't think Jack would want to anymore since he was mad at him. He tried to turn to face Jack but Jack stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. He pushed the Doctor's shoulder so that he turned on his stomach and the Doctor pushed his knees up under him to keep the pressure off his growing stomach. Jack moved behind him and the Doctor felt his trousers being pulled down. He could have said no and he knew Jack would stop but he braced himself as he felt a finger press into his body. 

It was removed quickly and replaced with the blunt head of Jack's cock. Jack pushed firmly into his body, filling him completely with steady pressure. There was none of the normal tenderness that Jack showed him as he began to move. He didn't touch the Doctor or try to help him get off making clear that this was just about his own release. He thrust steadily harder and the Doctor took it all as Jack poured out his anger into the movements. The Doctor gripped his pillow, staring forward as tears filled his eyes. This was the one thing he didn't want from Jack. He wanted to look Jack in the eye as their bodies move and know Jack cared about him enough not to use him like the men did. He couldn't help but think of the hotel room that he had spent countless hours in and the men he couldn't remember who used his body just like Jack was. Every movement was harsh and he cried softly as Jack found his release then pulled out of his body. Jack didn't look at him as he pulled up his trousers and flopped on his own side of the bed. He laid with his back to the Doctor as the Time Lord slowly lowered himself to the bed and onto his side. He pulled up his own trousers, curling into himself with his back towards Jack. He continued to sob softly as Jack's gentle snoring filled the room. Feeling alone, he let sleep overtake him finally quieting his tears.


	40. Chapter 40

-Present day-

The Doctor forced his mind back to the present and away from that first night. The night that Jack had taken his body as the men had making him feel as if his body was just something to be used rather than loved. It had taken years of heartache but they were finally starting to move past that. Their bodies had moved as one again as Jack made sure he received pleasure from the act as well but it still didn't change his mind that his body was just something to be used. Years of sex as he faced away from the man taking him had taught him that and one night wasn't going to change it. He had no desire to initiate sex again with Jack but he wasn't going to stop him if he wanted it. He didn't voice this opinion to Jack as they continued to sit in the TARDIS making plans. 

Jack had a few contacts from his old days in the Time Agency that he thought might be able to help but he wasn't sure how many of them were still alive or out of prison as the work they were involved in was highly dangerous. While the Doctor had no problem recruiting help from criminals he was wary about asking them for help. The Master was easily able to manipulate people and could turn the men against them with offers of higher pay. It wasn't a risk the Doctor was willing to take when it came to his fellow Time Lord because he knew how manipulative the Master could be and he didn't want to spend another year in his clutches because he made a mistake about who he could trust. 

"You've lived a long time, Doc, isn't there anybody out there that you would trust to help you take down the Master?" Jack questioned after a long moment of silence between the two friends. 

"You know I don't like to look back," the Doctor answered dismissively. 

"Still, there has to be someone that you stayed in contact with over the years. You have been chasing the Master for several years now and I am positive that you aren't doing it on your own. There have been too many times that you have up and left in the middle of the day claiming that you had a new lead that you couldn't have possibly found on your own for you to have been completely on your own while searching for him. What I don't know is if it is a network of people who have been helping you or if there is only one person you trust because you have refused to talk to me during these years despite trusting me enough to raise your daughter for you," Jack had started off calm but his voice was rising as he spoke until he was almost yelling at the Doctor again. He paused as he took a deep breath as he realized how loud he had gotten. They had promised to try and yelling at the Time Lord wasn't going to accomplish anything except to scare him off again. 

"What I am trying to ask is if there is anyone currently helping you now that you would trust with helping you take down the Master," Jack finished. 

"You," the Doctor answered. Jack couldn't help but smile at him and the Doctor gave a half-hearted smile back. 

"Besides me," Jack responded. The Doctor looked up and Jack could tell he was thinking about it. He didn't push him as he let the Doctor consider his options. It was possible that the people helping the Doctor were just as likely to turn on him as the people who had helped Jack and he had to figure out who he could actually trust.

"River Song," the Doctor answered finally. Jack's forehead furrowed as he tried to figure out if he had ever heard that name before now. "She is someone who is from my future, though I haven't been able to figure out how. Still, she has been able to provide me information when I need it as long as it doesn't interfere with a future event."

"Then tomorrow we should go see if we can find her," Jack told him. The Doctor nodded as Jack looked at his watch. He didn't need a watch, though, to know it was already almost two in the afternoon. They could have made the trip but Emily was waiting for them to pick her up at five and would take any delay as proof the Doctor had broken his promise to her again. Rather than risk losing his daughter's trust, he agreed it would be better to wait. Tomorrow they could plan for Martha to pick her up from daycare and she could spend the evening with Martha, Mickey, and August while the two of them went out to start the process of stopping the Master. 

"I am going to work on the TARDIS for a few hours until it is time to go collect Emily," the Doctor informed Jack. He had a few repairs that he needed to make that he had been putting off and he needed to think. Working on the circuits would allow his mind to process the problem without it being his sole focus.

"I will come to collect you when it is time to leave," Jack agreed getting to his feet and stretching. He watched as the Doctor pulled off one of the panels, his head disappearing beneath it as his feet stuck out. Despite him claiming he was going to work there was a good chance that he would take a kip instead. When Jack first met the Doctor, he thought that Time Lord didn't sleep until he realized that he would fall asleep under the panels listening to the hum of the TARDIS. Jack never called him out on it letting him continue that illusion. 

At the end of the workday, Jack found he was right and he gently woke the Doctor informing him it was almost time to go. The Doctor immediately denied that he had been sleeping and Jack didn't argue, nor did he point out that he had never claimed the Doctor was sleeping and he was arguing with himself. He helped the Time Lord to his feet and together the two of them left the TARDIS and the hub behind getting into the SUV to collect their daughter. Upon arriving at the daycare, the Doctor got out of the SUV following Jack into the small building. 

"Daddy," Emily screamed happily upon seeing him. She ran across the room only having to stop long enough to be let out of the play area before flinging herself into his arms. "You came back."

"Of course I came back. I will also come back for you," the Doctor reassured her. He carried her in his arms as together the three of them left the daycare. Together they went back to the home they shared and the evening progressed as normal. The Doctor read Emily's stories before they ate a light dinner. Later they rested on the sofa with Jack beside the Doctor as Emily sat curled up against the Doctor's side just wanting to be near him. As the first movie ended, Jack turned off the telly so that he could kneel down in front of her. He glanced up at the Doctor who nodded knowing what Jack was about to do. 

"Emily, sweetheart, there is something important your daddy and I wanted to ask you," Jack told her softly. Emily's blue eyes showed her confusion as she stared back at him.

"Yes, Uncle Jack?" Emily wondered.

"Your Daddy and I have been talking and we were wondering if instead of Uncle Jack you wanted to call me papa instead?" Jack questioned her. Jack wasn't quite sure of what her reaction would be but he didn't except her lower lip to start quivering as she burst into tears. She turned to the Doctor climbing up on his lap and the Doctor wrapped his arms around her as she wrapped her own arms tightly around him holding him close. The Doctor's face now mirrored the confusion Emily had shown only moments before. 

"What is it Kui'la?" the Doctor asked her softly as he held her. 

"I don't want you to go," Emily sobbed.

"Oh, Kui'la, I promise you that I am not going anywhere. I am going to stay here like I promised and help your Uncle Jack to raise you. Only, we would both like it if you called him Papa instead as he has been your Papa since before you were born," the Doctor cooed at her softly. Jack climbed up on the couch wrapping his own arm across his daughter's back. 

"I promise you that no matter what you call me, we will both be here for you because you are and always will be our daughter. No matter what I love you just the same Emily and that love won't change regardless of whether or not you call me Uncle Jack or Papa," Jack informed her. He kissed her softly on the side of the head. 

"And I will always be your daddy," the Doctor informed her. 

"Promise," Emily asked him through sobs. 

"I promise, I love you too much to ever leave you," the Doctor reassured her. There was one time that he thought that he didn't want her but she would never know how close he had come to walking away. 

"I love you too, Daddy," Emily sobbed. The Doctor kissed her on the back of the head as he continued to cuddle her close. Her eyes focused on Jack, the whites red from crying making the blue stand out even more brightly. "I love you, Papa."

"And I love you," Jack answered. He didn't try to take her from her daddy as he moved his arm slightly so that he could rub her back comforting her as the Doctor held her. The Doctor's eyes met his and he mouthed the words *Thank you,* at the Time Lord. The Doctor barely nodded showing that he understood. Tomorrow they would put themselves in danger to keep the universe safe but tonight the only thing that mattered to the two men was keeping together the small family they had finally managed to find.


	41. Chapter 41

-Four years prior-

A couple of months passed as they fell into the routine of Torchwood and home. Though the Doctor now knew his TARDIS was on Earth he didn't ask to be taken to her quite yet as his stomach grew larger. No one would have gone as far to claim that the Doctor was content but he seemed to resign himself to the fact that he couldn't travel safely at the moment. He grew quieter again as Jack continued to treat his body as something to be used for his own release rather than making sure that the Doctor found pleasure from the act. The Doctor wanted to apologize and beg Jack to make love to him while staring into his eyes but he was a coward at the best of times. So instead he tried to hide how much Jack was hurting him even as he followed the Captain to bed each night. 

Until one night, he couldn't do it anymore. He allowed Jack to go up to their room alone as he sat on the couch with a hand on his stomach. He felt strange and his back had been aching off and on for the last few hours while steadily getting worse. He didn't mention it to Jack or Martha as Martha would have denied him medication and offered ice or heat. Jack, on the other hand, might have offered him a massage if he was in a good mood but the Doctor really didn't feel like being rejected if he wasn't so he kept the pain to himself as he continued his day. It was only as liquid spilled between his legs dampening his trousers and the sofa that he realized what the pain meant. He had heard of back labor before but experiencing it was something completely different and now that his water had finally broken the contractions seemed more intense. 

Rather than run and wake Jack for what he knew would be hours of waiting, he carefully stood and made his way up the stairs. He was as quiet as possible as he snuck into the bedroom they shared and got a clean pair of jogging trousers along with a new undershirt. He didn't bother to grab pants knowing that the bottom half of him would have to be naked for what came next. He tried not to think of that as he took the time to clean himself up only pausing long enough to breathe through the pain that was trying to steal his breath away. Going back down the stairs, he wiped off the cushion he had been sitting on and flipped it over before resuming his spot on the couch. He didn't stay that way for long as he moved around the living room leaning against the table or falling to his knees with his back arched as he tried to find a way to relieve some of the pain. A quick call to Marth would have provided a bed and perhaps an epidural but he didn't want either at the moment as he wanted to bring his daughter into the world as naturally as possible. 

His contractions were coming closer together by morning and he knew that the birth of his child wouldn't be that far off. He had moved so that his upper body was on the couch with his arms resting beneath his head while he knelt on the floor. The contraction that wrecked his body was finally subsiding as he heard Jack's familiar footsteps on the floor above him. The door to the room opened and Jack crossed to the bathroom closing the door behind him again. The Doctor heard the shower start and knew it would only be a matter of time before Jack found him. He thought about pulling himself up to greet Jack but he had finally found a comfortable position and wasn't about to move and risk setting off another contraction early. As it was another stole his breath before Jack could join him and he was still panting as Jack finally descended the stairs. Jack paused at the bottom looking at him in surprised concern as he took in his body.

"Are you in labor?" Jack asked him softly as he approached. 

"I think so, I mean the contractions have been progressing too steadily for it just to be Braxton hicks," the Doctor responded. Jack wanted to be angry as he took a seat on the couch near the Time Lord's head but it was obvious the man was exhausted and the slight sheen of sweat on his forehead showed just how much pain he was in. 

"How long?" Jack wondered. 

"Just over seven hours now," the Doctor admitted softly. 

"Seven hours, Jesus Doc, you should have woken me hours ago so that I could take you into Torchwood," Jack chastised him. The Doctor looked up at him with tired brown eyes. 

"And do what, sit around and wait for the labor to progress while time my contractions," the Doctor asked. He grimaced as another one started, their conversation briefly ceasing as they waited for it to be over. Once it was the Doctor continued as though nothing had happened. "Besides I have been fine here."

"But you shouldn't have been on your own. It is still slightly too early for her to be born and Martha could have been monitoring you for any potential issues," Jack informed him causing the Doctor to roll his eyes. Jack took a deep breath letting it out slowly. "I can't change the fact that you decided to be on your own but I am going to call Martha now to have her meet us at Torchwood so that she can safely deliver our daughter."

"Fine," the Doctor agreed not having the energy to argue. Jack called Martha to meet them and then waited until the next contraction passed before helping the Doctor out to the SUV. Thankfully the drive to Torchwood was short but the Doctor still had another two contractions along the way. He didn't look at anybody as he was then rushed across the hub and down to the autopsy room where Martha was waiting. He was stripped of his trousers and made to put on a horrible hospital gown before climbing up on the bed. He wasn't as comfortable on his back but it made it easier for Martha to examine him. 

"Your heart rate is higher than I would like and you are slightly dehydrated. I am going to refrain from starting an IV at the moment since I know you don't like them but I may change my mind," Martha told him. He nodded as she continued to examine him. Despite coming early Emily's heart rate was almost where it needed to be and she didn't seem to be distressed causing Martha to breathe a slight sigh of relief. Even if he knew what the next part of the examination would entail the Doctor still reached blindly for Jack's hand needing it to hold as Martha had him drop his legs open. 

"You got him here just in time. He is currently eight centimeters dilated which means we will be welcoming Emily at any time now," Martha explained to Jack. She snapped orders to the expectant parent having him gather items that they would need while she finished preparing the Doctor. Do to his failing to tell them he was in labor they just finished preparing when he felt the need to push arise. Martha was watching the monitors and moved to deliver his child as Jack helped him to hold his legs up and out of the way.

Under normal circumstances, the Doctor would have felt humiliated at being halfway on his back with his legs being held wide open and Martha sitting between them. As it was, he was in too much pain with his exhausted body begging him to push to care what she was seeing. The only humiliation that he actually felt was the fact that once his daughter was born she would be drug tested to see if there was anything lingering in her tiny system as well as to make sure that he hadn't used anything behind their backs during these last few months. 

"You need to push," Martha informed him. For the next little while, his world was focused on pushing when Martha told him to as the pain between his legs grew worse to the point that he didn't think he could do it anymore. "Almost there one more big push and her head will be free." 

He nodded bracing himself as he curled into himself pushing as hard as he could. He could feel it as her head finally slipped free and he allowed himself to collapse backward as Martha told him to stop. He waited collecting his breath as Martha cleared her airways then with one more push she was finally out. Martha didn't cut the cord right away as Emily began to cry. They let her take her first breaths as Martha quickly wiped her off and brought her up to the Doctor's chest. The Doctor stared down at the baby that was now in his arms as he tried to ignore what Martha was still doing between his legs. He knew that she needed to clean him up and was trusting Jack to evaluate the infant. The first count was lower than Martha would have liked but the second one was slightly higher. They did a third just to be safe and she was still showing improvement.

"I need to take her for evaluation now, Doctor, but I will bring her right back to you," Martha promised as she moved to his head. The Doctor kissed the infant softly then allowed Martha to take her in order to clean her up and perform the necessary tests. She would also receive the medications that they agreed upon during their stay at Torchwood as well as have blood drawn for medical tests as well as the drug test. 

"She is beautiful, Doc," Jack whispered as he watched Martha across the room. 

"She is," the Doctor agreed even as his hearts felt conflicted. During the brief time that he had her in his arms, he could see that she had a few of his features that were easily distinguishable but she took more after her unknown sire. Despite still desperately to be her daddy, he didn't know if he could look at her every day and see the man who had forced her upon him. So despite being exhausted and in pain, he did what he always did best and made plans to run.


	42. Chapter 42

It started out slowly with the Doctor disappearing to retrieve the key to the warehouse from Jack's office. He never stayed away long at first, only an hour or two but that hour eventually turned into a day and a day into a week leaving Jack to care for the infant on his own. He never had excuses for his absence and he always returned to the home they shared climbing into Jack's bed as if nothing had happened. It angered Jack and he regretted the fact that he took his anger out on the Doctor's body, using him as if he were nothing but a toy for his release. He knew the pain he was causing the Doctor but he hardened his heart against that pain as they continued to drift slowly apart. 

As the first year of Emily's life came to pass, Jack was there for all her milestones. He was there as she rolled over for the first time and began to crawl. She took her first steps before she was a year holding tightly onto her encouraging Uncle's fingers as she toddled unsteadily. He was there during the long nights when she cried in sickness and also there for the nights where he would just cuddle her in his arms as she drifted off to sleep. The Doctor came and went and while Emily knew him she didn't look for him the way she did for Jack at first. 

"Ja," Emily would coo happily when her uncle came to pick her up from daycare or retrieve her from her nap. Her first words would be a slurred version of his name and it would take several more weeks before she attempted the word that the Doctor so longed to hear. Jack never told him that the first time he heard the word daddy it was directed towards him after a day at the park. She had been tired with her head resting on his shoulder after a long day of running. He heard the word in a sigh as she gripped his shirt tightly. His heart ached for it to be true but he knew that one word wasn't his to claim. 

"He will be back soon, baby," Jack had reassured her. The next time the Doctor returned, Jack had been colder than normal to him and after a night of rough sex that left both of them sore, he disappeared for almost a month. It was the longest that he had ever stayed away as they both needed the time apart. Upon his return, he didn't apologize for his absence and neither one of them spoke of the night that happened a month prior but Jack never used his body as roughly again. 

By the age of two, Emily knew who her daddy was and Jack could see the excitement in her eyes as the familiar thrum filled the home. She never understood why he couldn't stay and it was Jack who had to deal with the tears of him leaving. Who had to hold the child as she cried for her daddy and acted out in her anger of his absence. Still, Jack held onto her tightly as he swore that he would never hurt her the way the Doctor had. That he would always be there for her no matter what and he would use any resource he had to make sure she was always safe. She was too little to understand how much he cared for her and he never voiced it out loud beyond the words I love you. 

Her third birthday was once again celebrated without her father. Only this time she noticed that he wasn't there. He hadn't been there for the first two birthdays either-even if he always made an appearance at Christmas. Jack couldn't tell her why he stayed away as he didn't understand it himself. All he could do was hold his daughter as she cried once again because she felt her daddy didn't love her. It broke Jack's heart but it still took time before he swore that he would never let the Doctor hurt her again, even if that meant hiding his daughter from him. A promise that he hoped that he never had to keep and as the day of the Master's demise approached a part of him was beginning to believe that he wouldn't have to. That this time the Doctor would finally stay.


	43. Chapter 43

-The Present-

Rather than leave the next day as planned, the Doctor instead had disappeared into the TARDIS again and Jack let him be alone for a little while. It was clear he was frustrated by the lack of progress they were making in forming a group of people they could trust to help take down the Master. So Jack let him be alone until it was time to collect their daughter once more for the night. The Doctor seemed more relaxed as they went about their nightly routines and the two of them made love before falling asleep in each other's arms. The next morning as they sat eating breakfast the Doctor turned to Jack. 

"Rather than go to Torchwood, I want to take you to the island that the Master controls," the Doctor informed him. Jack looked at him confused. 

"Won't our going there alert the Master to the fact that we are onto him?" Jack asked and the Doctor shook his head no. 

"While he influences the island and the inhabitants as long as we are careful he will never realize we are there. I will park the TARDIS in an unused office I found the last time I was there. From there we can move around the island and talk to the citizens in order to gain information that will allow us to take down the Master. They may even be able to help in the revolt as many are terrified of the day it is there turn to walk down the golden roads," The Doctor explained to Jack. 

"I don't want to put innocent people into harm's way," Jack answered. 

"They are already in danger, Jack. We are just giving them an option to help fight for their freedom rather than being forced to go quietly," the Doctor replied. 

"Alright, I will ask Martha to pick Emily up from daycare and she can spend the night there as well just in case we don't make it back in time," Jack agreed. The Doctor nodded as he handed Emily one of his uneaten slices of toast. She took it happily and the Doctor pushed the rest of his food around his plate eating very little. It was clear he was worried about something but Jack didn't push for answers figuring he was thinking about the island. He would make sure the Doctor ate later but for now, he finished his own breakfast, and then the three of them headed out to the SUV. The routine was normal as he dropped Emily off at daycare and informed the carers that Martha would be picking her up that afternoon before the two of them went to Torchwood. The Doctor left Jack to talk to Martha as he made his way up to Jack's office. He prepared the TARDIS to leave and she hummed at him. He smiled at her sadly reaching out to gently run his hand along her console. 

"It's the only way," he told her. She hummed again offering him comfort as he stood there with his head hanging down. 

"Are you alright?" Jack asked startling him. He looked up quickly seeing Jack standing at the end of the ramp staring up at him. 

"Fine," the Doctor lied putting on a fake smile. Jack narrowed his eyes staring up at him a moment then closed the doors before moving closer. The Doctor ran his eyes along Jack's body as he approached, settling them on the gun that was strapped to Jack's side like normal. "The people of the island are peaceful and don't allow weapons of any kind to be brought into their borders so you are going to have to leave your gun behind."

"What if we get into trouble?" Jack wondered.

"Then we run like we always do," the Doctor answered holding out his hand for the weapon. Jack sighed loudly not reaching for it. "I know I have a way of finding trouble, even when I don't go looking for it, but I promise you, Jack, that this is just a scouting mission. You won't need the weapon and having it puts us into more danger than if you just leave it behind for a couple of hours."

"I will remind you of this conversation later on when we are sitting in a jail cell," Jack told him. 

"I look forward to it," the Doctor answered. Jack took a deep breath then unhooked the gun passing it to the Doctor. He watched as the Doctor slid the gun into a nook under the console before turning away to hit a button on the console. The two of them began a familiar dance of piloting the TARDIS for what was a short trip to the island. The Doctor made sure that the TARDIS landed quietly and with her safely on the ground they made their way to the doors. As the Doctor passed the nook in the console he reached in taking the gun out and quickly tucked it into the back of trousers without Jack noticing. Going to the coral he grabbed his coat and put it on before opening the doors. 

They exited the TARDIS into a small room. The room was more than likely an office with a desk to one side of it and a large chair behind it but there were no shelves or books or anything else that gave any indication of where they were. The Doctor reached behind him pulling the door to the TARDIS shut as the steel door on the other side opened. Two men entered the room wearing black suits and earpieces and standing on either side of the door. Jack glanced quickly at the Doctor but he seemed to be at ease as he continued to stand in one place with his hands in his pockets. Jack could tell he was waiting for something so he turned back to the door just in time to see a thin man with blond hair enter the room. 

"You," Jack hissed but both Time Lords ignored him as they took a step towards each other. 

"Ah, Theta you're right on time," the Master greeted the Doctor cheerfully. Jack watched in disbelief as the Doctor moved to the Master's side. The Master held open his arms and the Doctor stepped into them. The hug the two men shared was short but Jack felt his blood boiling in anger at the affection they were sharing. 

"I don't understand how you could be working with him after everything he did to you?" Jack seethed as they stepped apart. Both men turned to look at him and Jack tried to meet the Doctor's eyes begging for an explanation that wouldn't come as the Doctor refused to look directly at him. His face was unreadable while the Master's pure happiness was clear. The Master snapped his fingers and the two men at the door stepped forward. Jack reached for his gun on instinct as the men approached and then swore loudly as he remembered he had given it to the Doctor. Still, he had his fists and he fought the men as they grabbed him. One he could have taken but the two men were able to overpower him and get his hands behind his back cuffing them into place. 

"We're going to have so much fun together," the Master informed Jack.


	44. Chapter 44

"I never should have trusted you. Once I get out of here, I am leaving and you will never see us again. You hear me. You and I are done," Jack shouted at the Doctor. 

"I know," the Doctor whispered his voice so low that Jack would have missed the words if he hadn't been watching the Doctor's face. The Doctor still wouldn't meet his eye but he looked higher as he turned to face the Master. "I brought him just like I promised, now it's time for you to keep your end of the deal."

"All in good time, Theta," the Master answered. 

"Now, Koschei," The Doctor demanded. The Master turned to him regarding the Doctor with dark eyes that screamed danger but the Doctor stood his ground. He swung backhanding the Doctor across his face turning his cheek red but the Doctor didn't flinch beyond what his head was forced to move with the hit. He narrowed his own eyes as he stared at his once friend. 

"What did you say?" the Master hissed. 

"I'm sorry, Master," the Doctor apologized lowering his head. He accidentally met Jack's eyes briefly and he could see the confusion in them. 

"So this is where you have been going. All the times that you disappeared you came to meet him," Jack spat. The Doctor didn't answer him as he turned his attention once more to the Master. Jack didn't think his disgust could get any worse but he was wrong as he watched the Doctor drop to his knees bowing his head to the Master. 

"Please Master. As one last request, please make the call," the Doctor begged softly. 

"Coward," Jack seethed. 

"Very well," the Master agreed. He pulled out a phone and dialed a number. He placed the phone on speaker as he kept one eye on the Doctor. The Doctor heard the click of the line being answered but the man on the other end didn't speak. "Stand down."

"Code." Came a voice from the other side of the line. The Master looked at the Doctor. The Doctor didn't look at him his head still hanging low. The Master brought the phone to his lips and a barely discernable whisperer was voiced. "Understood." And the line went dead. 

"She's safe?" the Doctor asked softly. 

"Yes, for now, your pet is safe but remember I can always call them back if you misbehave," the Master told him putting the phone into his pocket. The change was immediate as he rose swiftly to his feet the Oncoming Storm glaring at the man. "If you wanted me to kill her, you should have said so."  
The Master reached towards his phone again as the Doctor reached behind his back pulling out the gun. The Master stopped as the gun was pointed at him a sneer on his face. 

"Drop the phone," the Doctor ordered. The Master snapped his fingers and one of the guards advanced on the Doctor. He turned quickly shooting the man in the leg and the man fell. The Doctor turned the gun back to the Master aiming the gun again. The Master had the phone in his hand and the Doctor didn't even stop to think about his actions as he fired four shots in succession never missing his target. The first two went through each of the Master's hearts, the third through the Master's head and the last through the leg of the second guard. He still didn't meet Jack's eyes as he walked over to the guard and pulled the keys from his belt. He moved behind Jack releasing one of his hands so that he could move them again. The gun's safety was clicked on before it was dropped on the floor in front of the Captain along with the keys. The Doctor moved slowly forward. He stomped as hard as he could on the phone breaking it before dropping to his knees in silence before the Master. He reached into his pocket pulling and Jack didn't see what he pulled out as he stuffed them into his pocket. 

Jack got to his feet and stared at the Time Lord in hatred. He still felt betrayed by the Doctor despite hearing the conversation that he had with the Master and he desperately wanted to tell him to piss off for good. He took a deep steadying breath as he watched the Doctor pick the Master up in his arms carrying him back to the TARDIS and leaving the two men bleeding on the floor. He took the Master's body into the medi-bay locking him in one of the stasis drawers until he could dispose of it properly. Returning to the control room he saw Jack standing at the end of the ramp staring up at him. He sent the TARDIS into the vortex bringing her out quickly again inside of Torchwood. 

"Tell Emily I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered as he waited for Jack to leave. Jack took a deep breath letting it out slowly as he refused to move. 

"Tell me what the hell that was about and you better not lie to me this time," Jack seethed. 

"For the last few weeks, the Master has had people watching Donna and her family. He was going to kill them unless I brought you to him and gave up my daughter while placing myself into servitude. I had no choice but to make him think I had complied in order to get him to call off his men," the Doctor answered. 

"I could have helped you if you would have told me the truth," Jack snapped at him.

"I couldn't. He had to believe that my compliance was real or he," the Doctor started but Jack was too angry to care. 

"I don't want to hear your excuses. I know I couldn't go to Donna myself and neither could you or anyone else who currently works for Torchwood without risking her memories but we could have found a way to keep her safe. And how do I know she was ever really in danger but this wasn't just a lovers spat because it is obvious to me that wasn't the first time you met with him. How many times have you gone to see him? How many times have you laid in his bed and then returned to mine?" Jack demanded to know. 

"Twice, and not that it is any of your business but I was never in his bed," the Doctor told him. Before Jack could draw any more conclusions he began to speak. He told the Captain about spending years chasing false leads as he tried desperately to locate the Master. It was only when the Master was ready to be found that he was finally led directly to his door. The first time the Master had demanded his compliance and he had refused running again. He almost told Jack that time but they had fought the first time he returned and he made the decision to take on the Master on his own. By the time he made it back to the hideout, though, the Master was gone. It was months before he was able to find him again and this time the Master was ready for him. It was at that point he was given the ultimatum and not knowing what else to do he complied. 

"I need to think," Jack told him once he stopped talking. 

"I understand and tell Emily I'm sorry," the Doctor answered. 

"You're not going anywhere. You are going to stay right here while I figure out what the hell I am going to do, is that understood?" Jack wondered. 

"Yes," the Doctor answered softly. He watched Jack leave slamming the doors behind him. He ran his hand across the handbrake but didn't dare pull the lever yet. Instead, he turned to head deeper into the TARDIS. While Jack needed to think, he just wanted to forget and he knew exactly how he was going to accomplish that. Entering his room, he locked the door behind him. He made his way over to his bed as he reached into his pocket pulling out a small bag along with a syringe that he took from the Master's pocket. It didn't take him long to prepare the dose and he shed his jacket finding a space in his elbow. The scars of old masked the new ones and it took him a moment to find a clear spot. He capped the syringe hiding it in his nightstand along with the bag as he settled back and waited for the drugs to take effect.


	45. Chapter 45

Jack stormed across his office grabbing his chair. He chucked it as hard as he could against the wall listening to it slam into the concrete walls. He was beyond livid at the Time Lord and he wanted nothing more to see the TARDIS disappear from his office and from his life. It was only the thought of the white-haired blue-eyed little girl that he didn't allow the Doctor to leave. She wouldn't understand why her daddy had broken his promise only days after he became papa and he was positive that she would blame him. He would become Uncle Jack to her again and nothing he could tell her would change her mind. She would be convinced that calling him papa had driven her daddy away and he wouldn't do that to her. 

Going across his office, he kicked the chair as hard as he could before setting it upright again and moving it to behind his desk. Unlike the Doctor, he didn't believe for an instant that the death of the Master meant that Donna and her family were safe. There had to be a contingency plan. He wanted to send his men but he wasn't able to due to the fact that anyone of them could accidentally awaken Donna's memories causing her mind to burn. The only safe path was calling the Brigadier directly and requesting his assistance. While he didn't trust UNIT after it was clear that it had been infiltrated by the Master, he still trusted the old man and hoped that he would help. Picking up his phone, he flopped heavily into his chair as he dialed a familiar number. The Brigadier answered on the second and taking a deep breath, Jack gave him a brief of explanation about the events that had transpired over the last couple of hours. 

"I will have Miss. Noble and her family moved to a secure location within the hour," the Brigadier promised. 

"Thank you," Jack sighed with relief. 

"And what of our mutual friend?" the Brigadier wondered. Jack leaned back in his chair as he considered how to answer. While he had told the Brigadier that the Master was dead he had given no indication about being held prisoner briefly or the fact that it was the Doctor who shot the Master. 

"He is on the TARDIS resting," Jack answered. He wasn't sure if it was a lie and really didn't care. 

"And you are sure the Master is really dead for good this time?" The Brigadier wondered. 

"I watched the Doctor kill him and then he took his body into the TARDIS. I am not sure what he did with it from there but I don't think that even he has the ability to bring the Master back again. At the moment, I am more worried about the men who followed the Master and what they will do now that he is gone," Jack answered.

"If you can give me their location, I can send men in to neutralize the threat before they can organize," the Brigadier suggested. 

"I'm not even sure if we were still on Earth," Jack admitted. Standing he carried the phone with him as he moved into the TARDIS again. The Doctor wasn't in the control room but Jack knew what he was looking for as he made his way up the ramp and to the console. He found the recent coordinates for their trip and realized that they had in fact been on Earth just outside of Liverpool. He relayed the information to the Brigadier who promised to send men there as quickly as possible. It is less than a minute later that the call is disconnected as the Brigadier has men to organize and Jack needs to inform his team that they may be in danger. Exiting the TARDIS again, he went out into the main hub to call an emergency meeting. 

Jack wasn't surprised when both Martha and Gwen asked to leave early after he explained about the possible danger. Both of them had children and he wanted to go get Emily from daycare as well. Thankfully, he had already agreed to let Martha take her for the night and Martha was still willing to watch her. Once the meeting was dismissed, the hub emptied quickly leaving only him and Ianto inside the building. There was a time that he would have taken advantage of the silence to bend Ianto over any available surface and a part of him still wanted to. He wasn't quite sure that Ianto would let him as Ianto had moved on after they broke up so that he could raise Emily. He dated again but as far as Jack was aware he wasn't in a serious relationship at the moment due to the job because it was both hard and dangerous to date anyone while working for Torchwood due to the demands of the job and the long hours they worked. 

"Is there anyone you would like me have the Brigadier protect?" Jack questioned Ianto when they were alone. 

"My sister and her children but I don't know if they would accept his protection as my sister still doesn't know what I do for a living," Ianto answered. 

"I will make sure that the Brigadier is discreet and they can watch your family from afar," Jack promised Ianto. 

"Thank you, sir," Ianto told him. 

"You're also welcome to leave whenever you want to. The rift is currently quiet and Martha is taking Emily for the night so I plan on bunking down here," Jack informed him. Ianto didn't take him up on the offer instead choosing to go hide in the archives. Jack sent a message to the Brigadier and then made his way back to his office. He was still livid at the Doctor for his betrayal and he was tempted to go back into the TARDIS to scream at him some more. Instead, he returned to his office to wait for confirmation from the Brigadier that Donna and her family were safe and the men had been apprehended. Only then would he drink himself into oblivion like he really wanted to do. 

It was almost an hour before the Brigadier messaged him that Donna and her family were safe. They were being moved to an undisclosed location having won a free trip that her grandfather had forgotten to tell them about. They had contacted police up in Liverpool who were organizing a raid on the building and would be moving in soon. The Brigadier promised to keep Jack updated and Jack thanked him for his assistance before disconnecting the call. He wanted to be there when the men were captured as well as question them to find out why they had been working with the Master but there was no way he could make it to Liverpool in time unless the Doctor took them there using the TARDIS and right now he didn't trust the Time Lord that much. So instead, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass as he considered his options and waited for the Brigadier to call again. 

Jack was working his way through his third glass before the phone rang. The raid had been a success and they had captured ten men inside the building including the two that the Doctor had shot in the leg. Both of those men were still alive and had been transported to the hospital for their injuries but they refused to talk to the police. The Brigadier was concerned that others were involved in the Master's plans but until the men talked they had no idea of knowing how many or what the plans were. He had sent a few men up to collect the prisoners and transport them back to UNIT but it would be at least another half-day before he had them in his cells. He promised to keep Jack updated but in the meantime, there was nothing they could do but continue to keep an eye on Torchwood's loved ones and wait for something else to happen. Jack thanked him for his help before disconnecting the call again. He turned his eyes towards the TARDIS and with one last swallow of alcohol stood heading inside. 

The Doctor wasn't in the control room or any of the other rooms that he frequented on a regular basis. Confused Jack turned towards the far corridor where the Doctor hid his room. Approaching the doors he gave a light knock and then knocked harder when there was no reply. He tried the door and felt a bolt of fear go through him upon finding the door locked. He pounded his fist against the door fearing the worst while cursing himself for not checking on the Doctor earlier. Yes, he had been livid at the man but he still cared for him and should have considered that the Doctor was once again the last of his kind due to his own hands. It was enough to drive anybody to the edge and the Doctor had walked that thin line for years. 

"Please, Doc, open the door so that we can talk," Jack begged. He heard a click and trying the door again found it unlocked. He swung the door open, his heart-stopping as he saw the Doctor laying on his back on his bed. One hand was resting on his stomach but otherwise, he was to still. Jack hurried over to his side grabbing his wrist. He breathed a sigh of relief upon feeling the Doctor's pulse. He released his arm letting it drop to the bed. Even if he was relieved the Doctor was alive he was concerned about the fact that the Doctor hadn't responded to the knocking or Jack grabbing his arm. 

"Doc, hey Doc," Jack called out. He grabbed the Doctor's shoulder giving it a firm shake. That finally got a reaction as the Doctor moaned but he didn't wake as he let his head lull to the side. "Come on, Doctor, open those eyes for me."

"Go away," the Doctor mumbled, his words slurred. Jack bit back a swear at the response. He wanted to lift the Doctor up in his arms and rush to the medi-bay before calling Martha back but instead, he made himself stop. He had been trained as a medic during one of the wars after he grew tired of fighting and he could assess the Doctor before calling Martha in. He just needed to calm down and think. Taking another deep breath he began his assessment. The Doctor had been fine two hours ago showing no signs of injury or illness. His head had no lumps or visible blood and his breathing was also clear. He unbuttoned the Doctor's overshirt and carefully maneuvered the Time Lord to slide it off. Running his eyes along the Doctor's chest he watched the gentle rise and fall as he continued to breathe evenly. Next, he turned to his arms and that is when he saw it. In the crook of the Doctor's elbow was a fresh pinprick of blood. Jack swore to himself knowing what the pinprick meant. He examined the Doctor's arms more carefully seeing that the skin was scarred but the scars were in different stages of healing. Some were white and old while others were slightly pink in color. 

"Damn it, Doctor," Jack seethed as he moved away from the Time Lord. There was no point in yelling at him now but they would have a long conversation later regarding the Master and his drug use. Digging around the Doctor's pillow he saw no evidence of the drugs. He opened the Doctor's nightstand drawer next, not caring if the Doctor saw it as an invasion of privacy. In the drawer, he found a small bag containing the powder as well as a syringe. He took them both then slammed the drawer closed again. Taking them with him he left the TARDIS depositing them on his desk. Leaving his office briefly, he returned with a set of deadlock chains and set them next to the drugs. Once he was awake, he was going to have to make a choice and Jack had the feeling he wouldn't like either of them. Trying to figure out what to say, he poured himself another glass of whiskey as he waited for the Doctor to wake.


	46. Chapter 46

Jack kicked back in his chair with his feet up on his desk. He no longer had a glass in his hand but was steadily nursing the whiskey directly from the bottle. The Doctor didn't deserve another chance. He had messed up too many times and Jack didn't know if he was going to be able to forgive him this time. Still, the Doctor had ended up killing the Master even if it meant he killed a part of himself in the process. While he was livid at the Doctor for the betrayal, he knew in his heart that he would still forgive him. He could even forgive the drug use as long as the Doctor got clean and showed that he was trying. He would have to stop running and live up to his promise to stay. He just didn't know if the Doctor could do it and today would be the first test. 

It was nearly two hours before the Time Lord finally stepped out of the TARDIS. His hair was flat in the back and his clothing rumpled from sleep. He had a cold weariness in his eyes as he looked at Jack. Jack gestured to the chair in front of the desk and he hesitated before taking a seat. He could see the deadlock chains on the desk beside the drugs. Anger surged through him that Jack had gone through his drawers and was now going to keep him here to detox against his will. He didn't want to detox but to continue taking the drugs and forget that he had killed the Master in order to save his friends. 

"While you've been sleeping, I have been working with UNIT to make sure that the men who were working with the Master have been apprehended and that everyone is safe. Donna and her family have been moved to an undisclosed location while Martha's mother as well as Sarah Jane have been warned of the danger. Everyone is on high alert in case there are more men out there that we are unaware of but we won't know for sure until the men are able to be questioned which won't be for several more hours. So if there is anyone else out there that might be in danger, I need to know now so that I can message the Brigadier their names and he can look into protecting them," Jack explained. The confusion on the Doctor's face was clear as it took him several moments to comprehend the fact that he wasn't getting yelled at about the drugs. 

"I have had several companions in the past but I am unaware of the ones that the Master would find important enough to send men after," the Doctor answered. He gave Jack several names and Jack sent them ahead to the Brigadier. 

"If you think of anyone else, let me know or you can message the Brigadier directly. In the meantime, I am going to finish sending a few emails then go lay down until I hear from the Brigadier again," Jack told him. The Doctor's eyes narrowed in confusion at Jack's words. He looked quickly to the items sitting on the table then back to Jack's eyes. 

"Is that it?" the Doctor questioned. 

"That's it unless there was someone else you can think of," Jack replied on purposely misunderstanding what the Doctor.

"You're not going to ask me about?" The Doctor gestured to the drugs that were sitting on the desk. Jack looked at them and then nodded as he turned to fully face the Doctor. He crossed his arms on the desk as he stared at the Doctor. 

"You have to understand I am livid at you at the moment. I don't think I have ever been angrier at you in all the years I have known you and it is going to take me a long time to forgive you for placing me in the Master's hands even if you had a good reason to. That being said, I am not as angry as I thought I would be about the drugs. I understand wanting to forget and while some people turn to alcohol, others do choose drugs," Jack informed him more calmly then he felt. 

"I'm sorry, Jack but I had no other choice," The Doctor started to apologize again. Jack held up his hand again to stop him and the Doctor let his hand close with a snap. 

"I don't want to hear this again right now. I have something else that I want to discuss at the moment that is going to determine where we go from here," Jack told him. 

"Alright," the Doctor agreed nervously knowing what was coming. 

"First, I want to know how long ago did you relapse?" Jack questioned. The Doctor opened his mouth and Jack held up a hand to stop him from replying right away. "And don't lie to me and tell me this was your first time. I have suspected for a while now that you were using again but I didn't have proof up until now."

"I don't know for sure," the Doctor answered. He honestly wasn't sure how long it had been since he started using the drugs again but he knew when it started. It wasn't an excuse and he didn't want to tell Jack that the first time he sought out the drugs again after Jack had used his body roughly. He had taken them as he considered never returning to Cardiff. It had taken him a long time to force himself back to Jack's home convinced that if Jack hurt him again he would stay away for good. They never discussed that night and while Jack had been cold to him in bed again, he never physically hurt him during sex again. 

"I am going to give you an option. You can take the drugs again and seek their comfort but I am not going to let you near Emily while you are high. You will be given a blood test every time you return and if the test comes back positive you won't be allowed to see her until it is clean. Or you can go and put these chains on the handbrake and I will take them off again once you have finished withdrawing," Jack tells him. 

"Will I have to stay in the cells?" the Doctor asks softly. 

"No, you can stay at home with me and Emily. I won't tell her your withdrawing but explain that you are sick. If you become a danger to her I won't hesitate to bring you back but for the worst of the symptoms you will be allowed to hide in our room," Jack explains. He saw the Doctor look towards the TARDIS then back to Jack. 

"Nobody else will know what I've done," the Doctor questioned. 

"I won't tell anyone, including Martha unless I have to. I just expect you to be honest with me during the process. If you end up having seizures or your hearts stop, I will have no choice but to get her involved but for the meantime, we can keep it quiet," Jack reassured him. The Doctor nodded. He picked up both the bag of drugs as well as the chains disappearing into the TARDIS. Jack waited to hear the familiar thrum of the TARDIS leaving but it was less than ten minutes later that the Doctor returned. He held out the bag to Jack and Jack took it with a small smile on his face. 

"Let's go home."


	47. Chapter 47

Jack passed off watching the hub to Ianto since he was intent on staying at Torchwood for the night. He then messaged the Brigadier that he was leaving but that he would be available at his home number in about a half an hour. While the Brigadier was always welcome to call him on his cell they had to be careful about what they discussed. His home phone, on the other hand, was a secure line where they could talk more freely. With everything in place, he led the Doctor straight out to the SUV to begin the journey home. The Doctor was quiet for the first few minutes, knowing that Jack didn't want to hear another explanation or the apology that he desperately wanted to give him. Still, he had questions and as the silence between them became overwhelming he decided to risk asking them. 

"How long are you going to make me stay on Earth?" the Doctor wondered as he continued to stare out the window. 

"For one month to start with. After that we will reassess your condition and whether or not you think you need to stay for longer," Jack asked him. 

"You trust me to make that decision?" The Doctor questioned. 

"I do because you know the consequences if you lie to me again. I was also with you the last time you withdrew and remember how hard it was on your body. I won't unlock the TARDIS after a month if I feel you run a risk of immediately relapsing," Jack replied. 

"Last time I was also pregnant," the Doctor reminded him. 

"I remember, you were also on several drugs as well as an aphrodisiac," Jack glanced over at him but the Doctor was still refusing to meet his eyes. Turning his eyes back to the road, Jack continued. "Are you still on the same mixture of drugs?"

"No.

"Then what about the dosage has that changed at all?" Jack questioned. The Doctor rolled his eyes refusing to answer a question that they both all ready knew the answer to. The dosage had gone up over the years as he built up a tolerance and how to take more in order to achieve the relief that he yearned for. He wasn't sure how much more he was taking, but he knew this time was going to be more difficult for him to withdrawal then the last time. 

"Why are you helping me?" the Doctor asked instead. 

"Because believe it or not, Doc, I do care for you. I maybe furious at how you handled the situation but I don't want to find out that you went messing due to be dead somewhere due to your drug addiction. I would rather have you at home with me and Emily building a life again while I figure out how to forgive you," Jack explained. 

"For what it is worth, I am sorry," the Doctor told Jack again. 

"I know and I am sorry that you had to be the one to pull the trigger," Jack responded. 

"Yeah." The SUV went quiet again as neither man knew what to say to the other. They remained quiet as Jack drove the familiar streets to their home then pulled into the driveway. He put the SUV into park but didn't shut off the engine right away as he wanted to talk to the Doctor before he had time to disappear on Jack again. 

"Once we get into the house we are going to go straight up stairs to our room. I don't want you to touch anything along the way and I will search any room you disappear into so there is no use trying to hide in them. Once we reach our room, I would like you to strip out of your clothing and hand it to me. Then I will give you a fresh pair of pajamas to wear while I move your coat and jacket to my office. Is that understood?" Jack questioned. 

"Yes, sir," the Doctor spat sarcastically. 

"Don't make me into the bad guy here, Doctor, or act like I am just another stupid ape. You had ten minutes alone in the TARDIS to do anything you wanted with the bag of drugs that was laying on my desk. I don't trust you and I don't believe for an instant that you gave me all of the drugs you had on hand. So I will be taking your clothing and I will search it then destroy any drugs that you have hidden in your many pockets," Jack replied with a snip to his own tone. 

"Fine," The Doctor sighed.

"Good." Jack turned off the engine and the doors unlocked finally letting them out. The Doctor looked down the street, just wanting to run as fast as he could down the long road but knowing that Jack would never forgive him if he did. Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the house following Jack inside. Together they went straight up the stairs to the bedroom they shared and Jack closed the door behind them even though they were home alone in order to make the Doctor more comfortable. He stood near the bed and had the Doctor take off his coat first handing it to him. He then had him strip down completely until he was completely bare still standing in the same spot. The Doctor was shivering softly but not from the cold as Jack stared at him. 

"Go shower, then come directly back here," Jack ordered him changing the original plan slightly. The Doctor nodded leaving the room quickly. With him gone, Jack started searching the Doctor's clothing. He turned the pockets inside out on the bed as he rummaged through all the knickknacks that the Doctor always seemed to have on him. Among the sonic, pieces of paper, notebooks, toy mouse, and various other pieces of metal he found two more bags containing white powder as well as an unused syringe. He left everything but the drugs and syringe in a small pile on the bed for the Doctor to deal with. Pocketing the items, he went to the wardrobe to pick out a pair of pajamas for the Doctor. He settled on a nice light blue cotton pair that he had given the Doctor a few years prior. He laid them on the bed, then set out to check every nook and drawer he could think of in the room. 

"I didn't hide anything here," the Doctor informed him as he emerged from the shower a little while later. His hair was plastered to his head and he had a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Sorry if I don't believe you," Jack replied as he continued his search. The Doctor didn't wait for permission as he stepped forward picking up the pajamas. He put on the shirt then moved to get a pair of pants. It was clear Jack had all ready searched their as the items were in disarray. The Doctor didn't comment as he pulled out a grey pair and putting them on before his trousers. Once dressed he collected all the random items Jack had collected and put them in his bedside drawer. "All the room looks clear."

"It is," the Doctor interrupted. Jack pretended not to hear him as he continued. 

"I am going to search the rest of the house then start supper," Jack advised him. 

"I'm not hungry," the Doctor answered. 

"You should still try to eat something as it is going to be a long couple of days and you are to have to be strong in order to get through them," Jack told him. 

"I'm fine," the Doctor answered. 

"No, you're not but you will be," Jack promised causing the Doctor to smile. Jack smiled back. He headed down the stairs to check the living room, kitchen, and dining room as well as his office. Once that was done, the home would be secure and the Doctor would be free to roam in its wall though Jack doubted that the Doctor would want to leave the safety of the room for the next few days. He didn't think the Doctor would be stupid enough to leave drugs in the home where Emily might find them but he couldn't be sure and had to check for all their safety. Still, he wasn't surprised when his search came up empty.

"What do you want for supper," Jack called up the stairs once his search was complete. 

"I'm not hungry," the Doctor answered from the room. 

"Hamburgers it is," Jack replied. "Do you want chips?"

"Please." It wasn't the healthiest option but at least it was something. Jack made their meal and then called the Doctor down to eat. He was pleased when the Doctor ate more than his fair share of chips along with one of the hamburgers. He then disappeared back up the stairs leaving Jack to clean up the mess. Jack didn't mind as he really didn't want to spend time with the Time Lord right now. So as the night went on, he found a spare blanket planning on camping out on the sofa. He checked on the Doctor periodically but the Time Lord was sleeping as his body was still relaxed from the drugs he had taken. That would soon change and Jack would need to be ready. Laying down he closed his eyes as he tried to rest.


	48. Chapter 48

The Doctor woke early in the morning. Out of habit, he reached out to Jack's side of the bed finding it empty and cold. He sighed as he let his arm fall to his stomach again. While he wasn't surprised that Jack had chosen to avoid coming to bed it still hurt and he hated himself for it. Every time the two of them started to get close again he would ruin it and drive Jack away from him. He knew in his hearts that the loving sex would stop again as Jack once more became cold to him. It was just a matter of time before the sex became angry. He closed his eyes as he couldn't stop his mind from drifting back to that horrible night. 

He thought about that night for hours, days, and even longer but no matter how long he thought about it, he still couldn't understand what caused Jack to snap. There had been no prep that night or lube as Jack held him down pushing painfully into his body. He had fought at first as the pain was too much for him to bare but Jack had ignored him. As his body loosened, Jack had taken him hard making every thrust hurt until Jack found his release deep inside his body leaving his own body hurting with his member soft. He couldn't move even after Jack rolled off of him laying their in pain and shock as Jack stumbled to the shower. Not wanting to see the Captain again, he had forced his sore body to move wincing in pain as he dressed before leaving the house and walking stiffly back to Torchwood. It was only once he was back in the safety of the TARDIS that he had allowed himself to break. He sat just inside in the door with his knees drawn to his chest crying until he couldn't anymore. Not wanting to hurt anymore, he drug his sore body to the console setting the coordinates. There was no thought about the consequences of his decision as he made the choice to forget. To forget about the pain Jack caused him, to forget about the pain the Master caused and hopefully one day to forget about himself. 

The Doctor's eyes popped open again as he forced his mind away from that night. He was breathing heavy and he felt his stomach flip. He desperately wanted the calming effect that the drugs would bring him but to use them would mean losing his daughter and possibly Jack forever. Throwing the blankets back, he drug his aching body out of bed going to the loo. He used the toilet before heading down the stairs. Jack was laying on the couch but he wasn't sleeping as he stared up at his phone. His fingers were moving quickly in the familiar patter of someone texting. 

"The Brigadier has eight of the men at UNIT and is currently having them processed. The other two are still in the hospital under strict police supervision and will be moved to UNIT as soon as they are stable. We may have to go to UNIT to give a statement here soon but the Brigadier is going to wait as long as possible in order to give you a chance to recover first," Jack stated without looking at the Doctor. 

"You told him?" the Doctor wondered. 

"No, I just told him that you were having a hard time dealing with what happened and it would be best for you to wait before speaking to anyone," Jack stated. He lowered his phone finally to look at the Time Lord. The Doctor was trembling softly and he looked sick even in the soft light coming from Jack's phone. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache and muscle ache but I still have a while before the major withdrawal symptoms start," the Doctor admitted deciding to be honest. 

"I knew you were probably using and I checked your arms regularly. How did I not notice the scars before now?" Jack questioned sitting up. The look the Doctor gave him said it all. 

"There are other places to inject on the body besides the arms Jack," the Doctor stated. 

"So do I need to start checking between your toes and at your groin from now on?" Jack wondered. The Doctor shook his head no. "You know I can't trust that you won't relapse again."

"I know," the Doctor scratched his arm turning his head away from Jack. "I want a cuppa."

"I'll make you one," Jack stated getting to his feet. The Doctor followed Jack into the kitchen. The Doctor took a seat at the table as Jack turned on the kettle pulling down two cups. He added sugar to one of them and left his own empty as he preferred. The Doctor clasped his hands together twiddling his thumbs as he stared down. He was growing restless and the restlessness would only get worse until he couldn't even sleep. He was used to not being able to sleep and the headaches he had since he first was woken up early during his regeneration sickness. The part that he wasn't looking forward to is when the withdrawal reached its peak. When the cravings overrode his body as nausea took over in flu like symptoms. He was going to be cranky and miserable and the only one he could blame was himself. 

"Thank you," the Doctor mumbled as a cup of tea was set in front of him. He wrapped his shaking hands around it feeling the warmth radiating from the cup. Jack took a seat across from him with his own cup his phone was still in his hand and he was texting regularly to multiple people. Finally, he sighed slamming the phone on the table. 

"I need to go to Torchwood for a few hours," Jack stated. 

"No," the Doctor responded. 

"I'm sorry, Doc, but I don't have a choice. I have been on the phone most of the night working and trying to handle it from here but I have to go in for a little while and I can't leave you here alone." Jack looked up at the Doctor who was still staring down into his cup of tea. "I'm not going to make you interact with anyone there. In fact, you are welcome to hide in my room away from everybody but I don't want you on your TARDIS until I have had a chance to search it." The Doctor snickered at that last statement and Jack rolled his eyes. They both knew that it was impossible for him to search the entire TARDIS even with his eternal life. 

"Fine," the Doctor sighed. He stood up, abandoning the rest of his tea and disappearing up the stairs. Jack didn't comment on the half-drank cup but poured the rest of it down the drain. Once they were ready, Jack drove them the short distance to Torchwood. The Doctor didn't say anything to anyone as he crossed the hub disappearing up the stairs. Jack followed him up to his office and watched as the Doctor slid down the ladder into Jack's room. Jack closed the hatch after him then pulled the door to the TARDIS closed. He had just taken a seat at his desk when Martha came into the office. 

"Is he alright?" Martha wondered. 

"Fine," Jack answered out loud as he shook his head no. "How was Emily?"

"She was good. We had a slight meltdown at bedtime but nothing I couldn't handle," Martha responded. *Do you want me to talk to him?* she mouthed upon finishing her sentence. Jack shook his head no again.

"I will pick her up tonight but I may need you to take her again later in the week," Jack answered. *He just needs time.* Jack told her silently. 

"Just let me know," Martha answered both questions out loud. She jerked her head slightly to the TARDIS and Jack pointed at his bedroom hatch. She narrowed her eyes in confusion as the Doctor didn't tend to hide there as there was nothing inside the room to distract himself with. "Are you sure he is all right."

"I promise I will call you if he needs you but for now just let me handle this, Martha," Jack told her. *Leave it.* Martha nodded. 

"I will be at my desk if you need me," Martha stated. She stood up leaving Jack alone. Jack glanced towards the hatch again but the Doctor was currently silent so he left him alone as he turned to his computer. It was easier to multitask in his office and he was texting while on the phone and working on his computer when he heard the sound of the hatch opening. The Doctor went straight through into the TARDIS without a single word to Jack. Jack finished his call as quickly as possible then went into the TARDIS to find the Doctor sitting on the Captain's chair with a bag in his hand along with a syringe. 

"Have you taken any?" Jack questioned him. 

"No, but I want to," the Doctor admitted. He glanced at the handbrake which was still deadlock chained. If he asked, Jack would take the chains off and he could send himself into the vortex to find the relief he craved. He used to be able to get away with only taking a dose every few days but now if he went more than twenty-four hours he could feel the effects clearly. He didn't want to admit he was addict but he knew he was and that it was going to take time and effort to stop. He just didn't know if he was strong enough. 

"You don't need it, Doc. I know you think you do but you gave it up before and I am confident that you can give it up again," Jack told him softly. The Doctor didn't look at Jack as he took a seat next to him then gently pried the bag out of the Doctor's hand. The Doctor gripped it tightly putting up a small fight before letting Jack take it from him. Jack didn't trust that this was all the Doctor had and he checked all of the Doctor's pockets before sending the Doctor back to his room to rest. With the Doctor gone, he stood up placing his hand on the console. 

"Does he have anymore drugs hidden on board?" The TARDIS blew warm air on Jack and he sighed. "Can you show me where they are?" Again warm air was blown on him. Jack stepped off the TARDIS briefly to grab his phone and make sure the Doctor had gone back to his room. Upon returning to the TARDIS he made his way around the TARDIS. She led him to the location of five more bags of drugs and two pre-made vials of liquid before finally letting Jack know he had them all. Jack took all of them with him to the medi-bay where he pulled out the bag the Doctor had willingly gave him the day before along with one of the know drugs. 

"Can you compare these for me?" Jack asked her placing them into a drawer. It took less then a minute for the TARDIS to return the results and Jack wasn't surprised to find out the first bag contained none of the drugs that the Doctor favored. Instead it was a mixture of sugar and calcium powder. Jack accepted the bags back and promised the TARDIS he would destroy them as he took them off of the TARDIS. He pulled the first two bags he had found out of his pocket added them to the rest. He left his office briefly going to the medical room where he disposed of them in the medical waste after mixing them with coffee grounds. He then returned to his office once more to check on the Doctor. The Doctor was sitting on his bed running his nails slowly along his skin leaving red marks as he did. 

"Please don't hurt yourself," Jack told him. His voice seemed to snap the Doctor out of his thoughts and he looked at his arm in confusion. He pulled his jacket down back over the exposed skin letting his arms fall. "Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Nauseous," The Doctor answered softly. 

"I will be done soon then we can go home," Jack promised him. True to his word, Jack finished everything he could within the hour. He planned on keeping in contact with UNIT and typing up the necessary reports but he could do that from home. The Doctor was pale and he didn't want to move when Jack came to retrieve him but he also wanted to go home. He leaned heavily on Jack as the two of them left the hub as once more he refused to look at anybody who worked for Torchwood. 

"I will drop Emily off for you," Martha offered as she looked at the two men. 

"Thank you," Jack responded. With once less thing to worry about, he took the Doctor straight home settling him into bed with a bucket by his head. The Doctor was exhausted but he couldn't sleep as the nausea and restlessness overwhelmed him. He once more regretted his decision to give up the drugs as he was all ready miserable and this was only the beginning.


	49. Chapter 49

Jack didn't leave the Doctor as he sat on his side of the bed texting several people. Not that the Doctor noticed as he remained curled around the trash bin his stomach threatening to release everything he ever ate if he dared move from his position. A part of him hated Jack even if he knew it was his own fault for seeking the comfort of the drugs rather than talking to someone. He didn't like talking about himself though so it had been easier to find comfort in forgetting. 

"They found two more men tied to the Master inside UNIT," Jack informed the Doctor. 

"I'm not surprised. The Master has always had a hypnotic way to him and he has had years to infiltrate various agencies to do his bidding. It is possible that even if Alistair gets any of the men to talk that they won't know just how many people the Master had doing his bidding and where they were placed. Even the person who considers themselves the Master's right-hand man won't have all the details, because the only one the Master ever truly trusted was himself," the Doctor explained. 

"Do you think we already have that man?" Jack questioned. The Doctor shrugged. 

"I don't know but until you do, no one the Master targeted is safe," the Doctor answered. 

"The Brigadier still has guards posted near those who need them and the others have been warned of the situation. While we can't tell Donna she is in danger both Sylvia and Wilfred have been informed of the situation and they are all in a secure location," Jack reassured the Doctor. He tried to place a reassuring hand on the Doctor's shoulder but the Doctor flinched at his touch. Jack pulled away not thinking much about it as he went back to texting. 

It was about two hours later that there was a knock on the door. Jack pulled himself off the bed stretching as he did. A quick glance at the Time Lord revealed that he had his eyes closed but Jack was unable to tell if he was asleep. Leaving him to rest, he hurried down the stairs knowing that a little girl would be waiting on the other side of it for him. He put a large smile on his face as he opened the door wide to see Martha standing on the porch with Emily in her arms. 

"Papa," Emily cried out happily. Jack took her from Martha hugging her tightly to him. He kissed her several times on the side of the head as she wrapped her arms around his neck holding on to him. 

"I missed you so much," Jack told her. "But did you have fun last night?"

"Yep," Emily responded happily as she nodded. She looked over Jack's shoulder then leaned back in his arms to look at him. "Is daddy here?"

"He is upstairs. You can go see him but he isn't feeling well," Jack informed his daughter. He set her down and she ran towards the stairs stomping up them. Jack watched her for a second then turned back to Martha. "Thank you for watching her last night and bringing her home today."

"You're welcome. We enjoy having her over." She didn't offer to watch Emily again as they both knew Emily was welcome at Martha's home at any time. The little girl regarded Martha as an Aunt and Mickey an Uncle, something that the Doctor might have scoffed at but Jack was determined to make it so that Emily was never alone. He was happy to let Martha's family adopt her in and have her call Francine her grandma. He even tried to have her know her sister Alice and nephew Stephen, anything so that she would have a large family who loved her. 

"I should get back to the Doctor," Jack stated starting to turn away. 

"Can we talk first. I promise it won't be for long but there is something I want to discuss," Martha told him quickly. Jack turned back to look at her. Martha didn't speak right away as she jerked her head towards the grass. Jack took a deep breath stepping outside and shutting the door almost completely behind him. 

"What is it Martha?" Jack asked. 

"The Doctor's on drugs again isn't he?" Martha questioned. Jack didn't answer her right away causing Martha to narrow her eyes. "I'm not stupid Jack. I am his doctor and have cared for him in the past. I know what illness looks like from him and I also know what withdrawal symptoms look like. So unless you want me to go up there and get the answer from him you will tell me the truth."

"Yes, but I am handling it." Martha crossed her arms at him opening her mouth. "I know you want to go in there and check on him but I promise you that he is fine right now. He has agreed that he is going to stop taking them and I have disposed of all the drugs that he had on hand. Right now, it has been over twenty-four hours since his last dose so he is starting to go through withdrawal. If you go in there now, it is only going to make him angry as well as cause him to lose the little bit of trust we have with each other. Just, let me handle it and I will call you if he takes a turn for the worse."

"What about Emily?" Martha wondered more calmly then she felt. 

"I don't plan on telling her that he is withdrawing if that is what you are asking. She is old enough to know, though, that something is wrong and understands sickness. I will keep her away from the worst of his symptoms but she can help me care for him when he is a little better. I also won't hesitate to restrain him in Torchwood's cells if I feel he is becoming a danger to anyone including himself. That being said, I trust him with Emily's life and he would never physically hurt her regardless of the circumstances," Jack spat defending his decisions. 

"I want you to call me the minute that changes or he needs my help. I don't care if is two in the morning and we were out chasing a weevil until midnight, I want you to call me anyway and I will be here in a moment's notice," Martha demanded. 

"I will," Jack promised.

"Take care of them." Jack nodded watching as Martha went back to her SUV climbing in. August looked up from the tablet in his hands and Martha pointed towards Jack. August waved at him and Jack put a smile on his face as he waved back. He waited until Martha had pulled out onto the road before going back inside the house. It was quiet and Jack made his way quickly up to his room eager to check on the Time Lord and his daughter. Entering the room, he found the trash bin had been moved to the floor and Emily was now laying on the bed tucked up against the Doctor facing him. The Doctor was breathing evenly still not quite asleep but Emily didn't seem to mind as she lay contently with her daddy.

"I am going to start supper," Jack announced breaking the silence. 

"I'm not hungry," the Doctor whimpered for the third time in the last two days. This time Jack believed him as he didn't think it was possible to turn that pale on purpose at the mention of food. 

"I'm not hungry either," Emily stated. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Of course you're not." He stated leaving the two of them alone. Even if Emily said she wasn't hungry, Jack still made dinner for the two of them before calling her down to eat. She came down after a few minutes with the Doctor following behind her. Jack didn't even get a chance to ask if the Doctor was hungry after all as he collapsed down onto the couch groaning. Jack let him rest as he ate the small meal of beans on toast as he didn't feel like making anything else. Emily didn't complain as she dug in happily finishing off a small portion of food before returning to her daddy's side. The rest of the night was uneventful as the Doctor rested on the couch with Emily sitting against him while Jack took to working in his office in order to complete the reports. At bedtime, he took Emily upstairs for her bath then read her a story before tucking her in with a soft kiss goodnight. Upon exiting her room, he wasn't surprised the Time Lord had returned to their own room and was curled up on his side of the bed again. 

"Do you need anything?" Jack wondered as he looked in on him. 

"Nothing you will give me," the Doctor answered miserably. Jack didn't responded as he headed back downstairs to work. He kept one eye on the Doctor while he did but it was after midnight before he finally decided to call it a night. Going back to his room, he found the Doctor had managed to dress in his pajamas but was still laying on top of the blankets with his eyes closed. The lights were bugging his eyes so Jack changed and made sure that the room was completely dark before helping the Doctor crawl beneath the warm blankets. Jack was still angry at the Time Lord but he saw no reason to keep sleeping on the couch as the bed was big enough they could sleep apart. He rolled to his own side closing his eyes prepared to go to sleep. It was only after he settled down that he noticed the Doctor's breathing was quicker than normal. Concerned, he flicked on the bedside light leaning over to look at the Doctor. The Doctor glanced up at him, the fear evident in his eyes before they squeezed tightly shut again. Jack once more tried to place a calming hand on the Doctor's arm but the Time Lord jerked away quickly. 

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you," Jack cooed reassuringly. 

"I know," the Doctor whispered. 

"Then do you want to tell me what you are afraid of?" Jack wondered. 

"Nothing, its just the withdrawal symptoms messing with my emotions," the Doctor lied.

"Anything I can do to help?" Jack wondered. 

"No, just let me rest. I'll be fine once I calm down." Jack had no reason not to believe him, so he laid back down turning off the light. He laid facing the Doctor, listening closely to his breathing as the Doctor calmed himself down. It wasn't until the Doctor heard Jack's own breathing even out as he drifted off to sleep that he finally fully relaxed into the bed. He turned over so that he could see Jack's face in the dark room and he stared at the Captain. 

"You," the Doctor breathed to the quiet room. "I'm afraid of you." It felt good to say it out loud even if he couldn't tell Jack while he was awake. Couldn't tell him that every time Jack was angry with him, he feared the pain that the Captain would cause his body and that it had been a relief when he decided to sleep on the couch last night and he wished he would again. Before had just run and sought comfort in the drugs. Now, he had nowhere to run and he was terrified he had made the wrong decision in giving them up. Exhausted, but unable to sleep he lay in the dark room as he waited for morning to come.


	50. Chapter 50

The next four days ran together as the Doctor moved to the second bathroom and stayed there curled on the floor not wanting to move. His body ached and his head was pounding even in the darkened room. Every hour, Jack would make his way up the stairs to check on the Time Lord and would receive a groan in reply or he would be yelled at to go away. As long as he answered, Jack didn't force the door open leaving the Doctor to be miserable in peace as Jack tended to their daughter. He tried to keep Emily away from it as much as possible by still sending her to daycare and letting Martha or Gwen take her for the afternoon so she would just come home to sleep. The only real-time the Doctor spoke softy during those four days is when Emily would knock on the door. 

"Are you feeling better?" Emily would ask through the door at Jack's urging.

"A little," The Doctor would reply. 

"Uncle Jack says you need to try to drink water," Emily then would tell him. 

"I'll try." Always came the answer. On one occasion the faucet turned on after the promise but usually, it remained quiet beyond his answers. 

"I love you." This part didn't require any prompting as Jack stood there with her. 

"I love you, too, Kui'la. Sleep well," the Doctor would then reply. It was only after this exchange that Emily finally allowed Jack to carry her to her room and tuck her in. 

It was on the fifth morning that Jack woke up that he noticed a change. Sometime during the night the Doctor had finally made his way out of the bathroom and was currently curled up on his side of the bed sound asleep. Jack took a moment to look over the Doctor noting that he was far too skinny and that his skin was pale and sticky from sweat. His hair too was greasy and he was still in the same pajamas that he had been wearing when the major withdrawal symptoms started. He looked a mess but at least he was resting. Jack was careful as he got out of bed going to fetch their daughter before she was able to see her daddy. He helped her to dress then made her breakfast and was just helping her to pull on her shoes when there was a knock at the door. 

"Martha's here," Jack informed his little girl. She ran to the door and opened it smiling up at her aunt. 

"Ready to go?" Martha asked. She nodded happily and rushed past her towards the open door of the SUV. "How is he today?"

"He is currently in bed sleeping. Once he is away, I will see about getting him into the shower and then getting food into him," Jack updated Martha.

"Make sure you start with something easy on the stomach like bread or porridge. He hasn't eaten for almost five days now and it will be hard on his system if the meal is too rich," Martha advised. 

"I will," Jack promised. He waved them off then went back in the house to make toast. While he was positive the Doctor hadn't eaten in the last five days he had heard the faucet running on more than one occasion so he was fairly sure that he had managed to get water into his system. How much he kept down was another question, though. Still, Jack made him a cup of tea with a little sugar then took everything upstairs. "Wake up, Doctor. You need to try to eat something now."

"No," the Doctor whimpered as he curled further into himself. 

"Then at least try to have a drink of tea," Jack told him as he set the offering on the bedside table. 

"I can't," the Doctor whispered, his voice harsh. 

"You have to try unless you want me to call Martha to place an IV to provide you nourishment," Jack threatened. The Doctor groaned forcing his eyes open. They were bloodshot making his brown eyes stand out clearly. His hand was shaking as he reached for the tea and he spilled some as he brought it to his mouth. He took a small sip making a face at the lack of sweetness. 

"It's nice," he informed Jack as he took another sip. He set it back down collapsing back on his side of the bed. "I just need to sleep now."

"Fine. I will let you sleep but I expect you to try to eat again later," Jack informed him. He turned his back on the Time Lord heading towards the door. 

"For what it's worth. I am sorry," the Doctor apologized quietly. 

"Yeah." Jack acknowledges not accepting or denying him. Instead, he headed back down to his office going back to work. The day passed slowly as he worked remotely between checking on the Doctor. At his lunchtime, he hauled the Doctor out of bed helping him to shower and change into a clean pair of pajamas. The Doctor would have happily collapsed back in bed after but Jack made him come down after to sit on the couch. Not that it stopped the Doctor from falling back asleep immediately after he was comfortable. His body was exhausted from not sleeping for the last six nights and while he didn't need as much sleep as a human usual the withdrawal was wreaking havoc on him. All he could think about when he was awake was how much he wanted to get a hold of another bag. He would mix a full dose and hide in the sweet relief of the dreamless sleep it offered. The only thing that kept him from seeking that relief was Emily. He was doing this for her, he would remind himself as the cravings become overwhelming. Emily didn't need a drug addict for a daddy and she wouldn't understand if he refused to get off of them when he wasn't allowed to see her until he was clean. 

Asleep, though, nightmares plagued him and he was forced to watch himself lose everyone he ever loved in the horrible war that ravaged the universe. He had fought on the front line during it, saving countless lives but that didn't change the fact that he couldn't save his own people. And in his dreams he lost not only them but all of his companions and everyone else he ever met until it was just Jack and Emily standing alone at the edge of the universe. He tried desperately to get to them in his TARDIS as he listened to them scream into the never-ending night but no matter what he did, he couldn't reach them. 

"Emily," the Doctor screamed upon waking. He coughed gagging as he proceeded to throw up the little bit of tea that he had managed to drink. 

"She's still at daycare, Doc, but she should be home within the next hour," Jack reassured him from the door to his office. The Doctor looked over to see Jack staring at him with the confusion clearly in his eyes. 

"Fine," the Doctor mumbled. He rolled over as carefully as he could turning his back to the room. Closing his eyes he waited for his daughter to get home.


	51. Chapter 51

With the Doctor over the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, Jack decided to return once more to Torchwood. It was clear the Doctor wasn't ready to leave the house as he was still weak and prone to random mood changes that no one could predict. He also still hadn't dealt with what drove him to seek the drugs in the first place. Not that it mattered as Jack had refused to touch him anymore then he had to and while they still shared a bed as well as a home they were currently living two separate lives that were drifting farther apart by the day. At Torchwood the Doctor spent most of his time in Jack's room or hiding down in the morgue or another empty room just seeking time to himself. At home, he did the same by choosing to stay up in their room with only Emily for company until he was forced to descend the stairs in order to eat or get tea. It was clear they were both hurting but all the members of Torchwood heard were the angry hisses they shared at each other when they were forced to be in the same room. 

It was clear over the next two weeks that Jack no longer trusted the Doctor's opinion on anything. The Doctor didn't even know why he was made to join in the meetings because whenever he spoke up his opinion was immediately rejected or Jack asked one of the other members of Torchwood to verify his findings. The Doctor eventually stopped talking during the meetings his eyes growing distant as he tuned them out. Martha tried to talk to him but he ignored her as well as he hid from the universe. Martha hoped that Jack would eventually pull his head out of his ass and realize how much the Time Lord was hurting but Jack seemed content in his anger of the man and not willing to let it go anytime soon. So she kept her distance until one afternoon she couldn't hold her tongue anymore. The Doctor had gone up to Jack's office only a few minutes prior with a cup of tea and coffee in hand in an apparent attempt to make amends but Jack ignored it. His angry words could be heard at Martha's computer as the door to his office had remained open a crack due to the Doctor's full hands. 

"Damn it, Doctor, can't you ever clean up after yourself?" Jack yelled at him. The answer was the sound of glass breaking against the wall. She wasn't sure who threw the cup but she did know that she had been quiet long enough. Standing up, she stormed up the stairs to the office pushing the door open all the way. Inside, she found the Doctor sitting staring at Jack with his arms crossed as Jack glared back at him. Behind Jack, tea ran down the wall and broken glass littered the floor. 

"That's enough," Martha snapped at the two men. 

"This is none of your business, Martha. Now return to your desk before I suspend you for the rest of the week," Jack told her calmly his eyes never leaving the Doctor. 

"No. I don't care if you do suspend me but I am not allowing this to continue. If it was just the two of you, I wouldn't interfere but you have a little girl who is caught in the middle of your childish behavior and I don't want to see her hurt by you two. So I am going to pick her up from daycare tonight and bring her home with me while you two either fix this or end it. I don't care which option you choose but neither one of you is leaving this room until Emily gets the parents that she deserves. Whether that means you raise her separately or together is your choice but this has to end," Martha scolded them. She turned slamming the door to the office as she stormed out of the room. 

Both Jack and the Doctor didn't talk right away as they continued to stare at each other. The Doctor desperately wanted to seek the comfort of the drugs that he used, while Jack wanted a strong drink and to get laid. Neither one was an option as Martha was right they needed to talk. They were hurting Emily with their fighting and Jack had noticed the once happy little girl was becoming more withdrawn again at home. It was the same way she would act after the Doctor stayed away for more than a few days or disappeared suddenly but he couldn't blame the Doctor for her pain this time as it was both their faults she was hurting. Jack sighed as he ran his hands down his face. 

"Martha's right. We can't go on like this anymore," Jack commented. 

"I know," The Doctor sighed he glanced towards the TARDIS. 

"I'm not unlocking her yet regardless of the decision we make today. We have another week before your month is up and I can tell you are still having cravings. Even if I am angry at you, I don't want this drug habit to kill you and if necessary, I will find you a new place to live until you are able to travel the universe again on your own," Jack informed him. 

"I don't want to live somewhere else," the Doctor admitted. 

"Then we do need to talk about what happened because there are a few things that I don't understand. Like how you can trust me enough to raise your daughter for you but not enough to tell me your actual plans for the Master or how you were planning on bringing him down. Instead, you tell me a story about an island of people that disappear then hand me over to him," Jack spat at him. 

"The island is a real place that he was hiding. I don't understand why people disappear from there but I would like to investigate it further one day. And the reason I didn't tell you my real plan is because the Master had to believe that I was really turning you over in order for me to save Donna and everyone else that he was watching. If he thought even for a second that I was betraying him he would have given the order to kill them without hesitation. I knew that there was a good chance that I would lose you over my decision but I swear to you that I thought about it for as long as possible before deciding to take you there. I went through every scenario I could possibly think of and all of them ended with her death. I am sorry I hurt you in order to save them but given the choice to do it over I would make the same decision," the Doctor told Jack. 

"So would I," Jack sighed. As much as he hated the decision he knew the Doctor had been right to make it. He could eventually give the Doctor for betraying and move past the anger he felt but he couldn't bring Donna or anyone else who was killed back to life. "I understand why you made the decision but it is going to take me time to forgive you for putting me in his hands again. Even if it was only for a few minutes, I kept thinking about the Valant and the year of torture we suffered there at his hands."

"You've been having nightmares again," the Doctor answered.

"I always have nightmares."

"Me too," the Doctor replied. Jack smiled softly at him. 

"Is that why you started taking the drugs again?" Jack wondered. The Doctor looked away. This was the conversation he didn't want to have. He ran his fingernails slowly along his arm as he thought about his answer until he heard Jack clear his throat. Realizing what he was doing, he let his hand drop again. "We can get your body clean, Doc, but there is a strong possibility that you will quickly relapse unless we address the reason why you started using it again. So why don't you tell me the reason you felt the need to turn to drugs then come to me or Martha or anyone else who could have helped you." 

The Doctor closed his eyes refusing to look at Jack as he bit his lip to keep from speaking the words that he had kept himself from acknowledging all these years. How could he tell the man that he lived with and was helping to raise his child that he was the reason he sought out the comfort of the drugs? Despite what Jack currently thought about him he did still care for Jack in his own way and feared that telling him would drive a wedge between them forever. It would be simple to open his mouth and lie to Jack instead but a lie wouldn't change what happened or stop Jack from taking his anger out on his body again. He took a deep breath as he realized that Jack was still staring at waiting quietly for the Doctor to respond. He let the breath out slowly as he opened his eyes. He refused to look at the Captain's eyes as he stared down at his own hands. 

"There were several times I thought about taking them again but when I finally decided to take them again was after the night," the Doctor trailed off not wanting to say the words but Jack finished them for him. 

"That I raped you," Jack finished. The Doctor's head shot up meeting Jack's 

"I never said no," the Doctor argued. 

"It doesn't matter that you never said no. You never gave me permission to hurt you either. You fought me that night and I held you down and forced myself on you then refused to look at or comfort you after. I was angry at you but I had no right to use your body that way or to continue using your body for my own pleasure after. I kept telling myself it was all right because you returned and laid with me but you deserve more than someone who uses your body," Jack told him. 

"It has never mattered what I want in bed," the Doctor whispered. Jack ran his hand through his hair before turning in his chair. Opening the cabinet he pulled out two glasses as well as a bottle of whiskey. He poured them both a glass and the Doctor took it gratefully. He drank half of it down quickly before setting it on the desk. Jack drained his own glass then refilled it and topped off the Doctor's glass. 

"But it should. You should have told me to stop or that you wanted to look me in the eyes while we had sex long before you actually allowed yourself to show me what you wanted. That night should have never happened and you should have hated me for it. I would have understood if you had taken Emily and never returned but you kept coming back and I don't understand why," Jack explained to him. 

"I don't want to lose my daughter or you. I just wanted a family," The Doctor admitted. He fiddled with the glass giving his hands something to do in order to keep from scratching his arms. 

"But you stayed away. Sometimes for weeks at a time," Jack reminded him. 

"I am not good with relationships Jack. My first relationship was with Koschei. While Time Lords had no problem with same-sex relationships, my own family frowned upon it. I was forced into an arranged marriage that ended as soon as my youngest joined the academy. It was then that I ran back to him and stayed with him until I finally couldn't take it anymore and hide with the nameless of Gallifrey before leaving the planet for good. By the time I left him, though, he was no longer calling himself Koschei but had become known as the Master," The Doctor admitted trying to make Jack understand.

"Jesus." Jack downed the second cup of whiskey then poured himself a third. He had always suspected there was more to their friendship than the Doctor would admit but knowing that he had loved that monster made Jack feel sick.

"After that night, I wanted to stay away forever but I made the decision to return. Even if you never hurt me again, you were still angry so I only stayed long enough to make sure Emily was alright before leaving again," the Doctor explained. 

"Because you were afraid I would hurt you again," Jack concluded and the Doctor nodded. "Listen to me, Doctor. What happened that night wasn't your fault. I was upset because Emily had called me daddy a few days prior and at the time I was still just her Uncle Jack. That still gave me no reason or excuse to take my anger out on your body rather than talking to you about it. Instead, I let myself become angrier and angrier until I lashed out in the worst way possible. I promised myself I would never let it happen again if you returned and I refuse to break that promise no matter how angry I get sometimes."

They both went quiet as they worked their way through another glass of whiskey each. It was clear to Jack that Martha was right and something needed to change but he wasn't sure that they could fix the relationship they had. There were too many trust issues that couldn't just resolve themselves overnight and the only reason they had even tried so hard to hold on to the other was for Emily. She was getting to the age now, though, that she would see the coldness they felt towards each other and it would affect her growing up. Jack didn't want her to end up in an abusive relationship when she was older because of what she learned growing up. The best thing all around would be to just end it but he didn't want that either. Even with all the pain a part of him still loved the Time Lord and that part had hope that they could work it out eventually. They just had to learn to communicate properly, something neither one of them were good at. Sure they could talk all day long about encounters they had while traveling and Torchwood business as well as nonsense but rarely did they actually open up to the other about problems they had. 

"Where do we go from here?" Jack asked eventually breaking the silence. 

"Maybe Martha is right and we should just end it," the Doctor whispered. 

"Is that what you want?" Jack questioned him. The Doctor shook his head no. 

"No, but I don't know how to fix this," the Doctor replied. 

"Me either but I am willing to try to figure it out if you are because I meant what I said. I miss having you as a friend and even if we don't work out as lovers I would still like that part of our relationship to continue," Jack advised him. 

"Me too," the Doctor agreed. "I will talk to Martha in the morning about moving in with her and Mickey while I continue to recover."

"You don't have to move out Doc. There is still plenty of space for you at our home. I will sleep on the couch tonight and in the morning I will get a bed and wardrobe for my office. We can figure out the rest as we go but I know you don't want to be away from Emily anymore than you have to and I want you there for her. If it doesn't work, then I will help you move out at any time that you ask or allow you to leave on the TARDIS if you are ready," Jack informed him.

"All right," the Doctor agreed. 

"Then I don't know about you but I just want to get out of here and go home," Jack told him. The Doctor nodded his agreement as he really just wanted to lay down for a while and think. Jack put the whiskey away then stood up grabbing his coat and handing the Doctor his. The Doctor pulled it on before following Jack out of Torchwood to the SUV. The ride home was quiet and as soon as they were home the Doctor headed straight up the stairs to lay down. He could still hear Jack moving around the house and the clink of glass as Jack poured himself another drink. It was familiar and comforting despite the heartache that he was feeling over another failed relationship. Curling into himself he pulled his coat over his body as a blanket as he wondered if he would ever be allowed to be happy again.


End file.
